counterfeit goods

Oil and gas platform offshore (© Shutterstock.com)

Here’s the real value in intellectual property rights

What is intellectual property law and how does the United States work to uphold it in its courts? Learn more about its importance here.
Illustration of eagle guarding nest with glowing light bulb in it (State Dept./D. Thompson)

U.S. trade report details counterfeiting, online piracy

A U.S. government report highlights intellectual property rights violations worldwide. See which nations are taking action against copyright violations.
Bar graph of patent applications from non-residents in 2017

Intellectual property: Protecting ideas is good for business

Protecting your ideas is critical in business. That's why the United States has some of the strongest intellectual property protections in the world.
Illustration of watch, phone, shoe, iPod (D. Woolverton/State Dept.)

The price of that music is higher than you think

Everyone likes a bargain. But buying pirated or counterfeit goods can support organized crime. See what the Trump administration is doing about it.
Young child being given injection (© AP Images)

Fake medicines cost lives

Counterfeit drugs are a global problem, sickening people who think they are buying medicine to treat a malady like malaria or an infection.
Painting of man behind lit lightbulb (© AP Images)

Thomas Edison protected his bright ideas — all 1,093 of them

Patents protect the ideas and work of inventors and are part of a broad category of legal protection known as intellectual property rights.
Counterfeit shoes on display (Ian Law/Shutterstock)

Nice kicks. But what if they were made by a slave?

If you’re interested in buying a designer handbag for a fraction of the price, you’re not alone. But the hidden costs of counterfeit goods are staggering.

Fake drugs are bad news for global health

Counterfeit and substandard medicines appearing in pharmacies everywhere may reverse gains in public health. Scientists propose new solutions.