Adherence Takes Legal Action Against CVS and Asembia for Trademark and Copyright Infringement

LONG BEACH, Calif., Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Adherence, a company specializing in medication adherence solutions, has filed a lawsuit against CVS Health and Asembia for alleged unauthorized use of its trademarked and copyrighted intellectual property. The legal action addresses violations of Adherence’s Morisky Medication Adherence Scales (MMAS®) trademarks and copyrights.

In 2023, it is alleged that Adherence learned that CVS Health was using its Morisky trademarks, including MMAS® and MORISKY MEDICATION ADHERENCE SCALE, without permission. It is also alleged that CVS Health has been using a pirated version of Adherence’s MMAS-4 and MMAS-8 scales in a patient management software platform, Asembia-1, which is distributed by Asembia. This infringement dates back to at least 2016, following CVS’s receipt of URAC accreditation for its specialty pharmacy.

The lawsuit alleges that CVS Health and Asembia misappropriated Adherence’s intellectual property, causing significant harm to Adherence’s business and reputation. Specifically, the complaint outlines the following key points:

• Trademark Infringement: Defendants have used Morisky Marks without authorization, causing confusion and misleading the public into believing that their services are affiliated with Adherence.
• Copyright Infringement: Defendants have copied and distributed the MMAS-4 and MMAS-8 scales without permission, leading to incorrect patient outcomes and tarnishing Adherence’s reputation.
• Unlawful Licensing: Asembia’s unauthorized licensing of the pirated scales has deprived Adherence of potential revenue and market opportunities.
• Intentional Interference: CVS’s actions have interfered with Adherence’s prospective licensing agreements with Aetna Inc.
• Trademark dilution: Asembia’s infringement of Morisky Copyrights have tarnished and damaged the reputation of Adherence, irreparably harming it.

The complaint seeks injunctive relief to halt the use of Adherence’s intellectual property, as well as damages for the financial losses and reputational harm suffered. Adherence is also requesting statutory damages and legal fees.

“As a company committed to innovation and the protection of intellectual property, I will not tolerate any attempt to undermine our hard-earned advancements. The theft and misuse of any intellectual property is not just an offense against Adherence; they are crimes against the entire ecosystem of innovation that drives our industry forward. I will relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit our intellectual property for their own gain. I am prepared to take every necessary action to defend the rights of innovation and ensure that justice is served. Piracy in any form has no place in our industry, and I stand as a bulwark against those who would seek to bring it here.”

— Philip Morisky, Chief Optimus, Adherence.

About Adherence
Adherence is a digital health company dedicated to improving patient medication adherence through innovative tools and solutions. The company’s flagship Morisky Medication Adherence Scales (MMAS®) are used globally to enhance medication adherence and patient outcomes.

Note: This press release is based on legal documents and should not be construed as an admission of guilt or liability by the defendants.

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SOURCE Adherence