Course in development page.
Trade Secrets Course
This course is under development. Please let us know if you would like to:
- suggest a particular fact or concept that you believe should be included in the course;
- work with us to create the course;
- teach the course or suggest someone to teach the course; or
- be notified when the course is online.
Draft Outline
Trade Secrets defined
Laws protecting trade secrets
Relationships to patents in practice
Practical significance in branded small molecule protection
Practical significance in generic competition
Practical significance in biologics
Best practices in company management of trade secrets
Trade secret protection in the due diligence process
What is included in a quality audit of a pharmaceutical company's trade secret protection
Laws protecting trade secrets
Relationships to patents in practice
Practical significance in branded small molecule protection
Practical significance in generic competition
Practical significance in biologics
Best practices in company management of trade secrets
Trade secret protection in the due diligence process
What is included in a quality audit of a pharmaceutical company's trade secret protection
Trade secret law specifically protects the misappropriation of trade secret information. This means that a wrongful or nefarious act must accompany the acquisition of the information. For example, if someone acting as an imposter steals the trade secret information from its owner, the owner can sue the imposter for misappropriation of trade secrets. However, if the owner voluntarily gives trade secret information to an individual without limitation, there has been no misappropriation and the owner cannot sue. It is also possible that the information may lose its status as a trade secret. This can occur if there has been a lack of reasonable effort to keep the information secret and/or the information is de facto no longer a secret.
Besides the invention itself, other aspects related to the business may be protected as trade secrets. For example, the business plan and computer-aided drawings of the invention (including, but not limited to, its tolerances and critical-sizing aspects) may not be eligible for patent protection but may be protected by trade secrets. However, the invention will eventually be marketed and will no longer be a trade secret. As such, other forms of intellectual property (i.e., trademarks, copyrights, and patents) should be filed so that competitors do not copy the idea without authorization.
Currently Available Resources
We believe the following resources on this topic are applicable and reliable. However, we do not take responsibility for their content and you should rely upon your legal counselors' advice before acting or deciding not to act with regard to any trade secret matter.
WIPO Guide to Trade Secrets and Innovation
World Intellectual Property Organization
Milgrim on Trade Secrets
Roger G. Milgrim; Matthew Bender Elite Products
The Pharmaceutical Officers Academy also has a custom course "Legal Issues in Due Diligence" available to be taught in person.
Please contact the Academy Provost to discuss.
Thank you!
Contact
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(800) 590-5663
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contact@poa-global.com
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68 Woodland Drive
Princeton, New Jersey 08540

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Not just random facts -- With each course, we are attempting to materially improve one of your skills.
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Thus, at the Academy we are working to take the
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We work to have faculty members that are experts in their subject matter, but who also are skilled at teaching the material. Good teaching is difficult, and not as easy as it looks.
Our instructors are selected for their commitment to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the industry by providing training that will contribute to the capabilities and performance of the students;
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