Stief Supplementary Protection Certificates Supplementary protection certificates (SPC) extend
the effects of patents for medicinal products by a maximum of five and a half years i.e. the
certificate becomes effective at a time when the respective pharmaceutical is widely known on
the market and thus generates the maximum revenue. This explains the enormous economic value of
SPCs. They protect some of the most valuable products in the pharmaceutical industry. The legal
basis for the SPC for medicinal products is a European Regulation. The obtaining provisions of
that Regulation the scope of protection etc. are highly disputed and have been the subject of
numerous decisions of the CJEU. This handbook provides valuable insights into the world of SPCs
and the most significant case law and legal sources at EU and national level of Germany the UK
France Italy the Netherlands and Switzerland. The second completely revised edition
specifically addresses recent developments of SPCs including manufacturing waivers and the
implications of Brexit.
