Negative Award “Plagiarius” for Imitators

Providing products and services, which meet the highest quality standards, has formed the basis of the KARL STORZ product range for over 60 years. To ensure consistent high quality and innovative solutions for the benefit of the patient, KARL STORZ continuously invests in personnel, research & development, and customer service. KARL STORZ is aware of its responsibility towards patients, physicians and personnel. To safeguard and extend its technological leadership, the company takes action to protect its intellectual property.

In addition to the constant goal and incentive to provide physicians with the best possible products, KARL STORZ also takes a firm stand against plagiarism and any other infringements of industrial property rights, combating such violations by all means at its disposal.

This is the reason why, in the last three years, KARL STORZ has identified 23 German companies that have copied the original STORZ standard set for urology: the resectoscope working element (passive and/or active construction) and, in some cases, its resectoscope sheaths. With the exception of one ongoing lawsuit, 22 cases were decided in favor of KARL STORZ either in or out of court.

The original KARL STORZ products: Resectoscope working elements and sheaths

Since 1977 Plagiarius e.V has been dedicated to relentlessly pursuing companies who wrongfully copy the technical know-how and creative ideas of others or who benefit from the risks taken by other companies to invest in innovative products. Under the motto “Innovation vs. Imitation” – Plagiarius accuses imitators for their unimaginate and shamless behaviour. The 2008 negative award “Plagiarius” will also be given to companies who have been imitators in the past.

As in the previous year when 8 plagiarists were awarded the prize for copying the KARL STORZ resectoscope set, the Plagiarius jury also “honoured” a further company – Fa. Phoebus Medizintechnik GmbH, Tuttlingen – with a negative award for copying the KARL STORZ resectoscope set.

KARL STORZ management specifically welcomes the efforts of “Aktion Plagiarius” and many other institutions who aim to increase public awareness of product piracy and plagiarism with the following statement: “It is only possible to continue to invest in medical technology when our potential for development is adequately protected. Healthy and fair competition provides us with an incentive to offer our customers even better products and solutions. Plagiarism which jeopardizes our reputation as a quality manufacturer as well as the jobs of our employees is the type of unfair competition which KARL STORZ – also with our customers in mind – is not prepared to accept in future.”

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