Back in January, Amazon applied to the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to register the trademark “Amazon Pharmacy”, in a move that was taken as a strong indication that Amazon intended to enter the UK’s pharmaceutical space. This development was one of a number by Amazon to diversify into a myriad of markets and services – in October 2019, for example, Amazon announced its “Amazon Intellectual Property Accelerator” service, a program intended to help brands obtain intellectual property (IP) rights and brand protection in Amazon’s stores.
Amazon’s play for the UK pharmaceutical market has now taken a significant step forward with news that the IPO has published Amazon’s “Amazon Pharmacy” trademark application in its Trade Marks Journal, meaning that the application can now be viewed and commented upon. According to the IPO filing, “Amazon Pharmacy” is intended to cover a number of services, including scientific research.
Amazon has applied to trademark the “Amazon Pharmacy” brand across the world, with applications having been made in Australia, Canada, the EU, Israel, and China, amongst others. The global retail giant already sells prescription medicines online in the US via its subsidiary PillPack, which Amazon purchased in 2018.
