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Wins Against MVP Healthcare Over Deceptively Similar 'House of Doctors' Mark
The has granted an against , restraining it from using the trademark "HOD House of Doctors" and any other . Justice Jyoti Singh, presiding over the , found that the – comprising , , and – had established a case of and .
A Familiar Dispute: Returns to Court
The , which has provided diagnostic and healthcare services since under the marks "H.O.D." and "House of Diagnostics," told the court it had consistently enforced its rights. Prior orders had already restrained third parties from using "House of Pathology" and "HOD Home of Diagnostics," and a settlement had blocked the domain "HOD.life." In the present case, MVP Healthcare filed trademark applications for "HOD" in Classes 35 and 44 in . The objected, citing the group's prior marks. One application was later withdrawn, and the other was abandoned after the group filed a notice of opposition. Yet, in , the group discovered the defendant operating a website – houseofdoctors.in – featuring the offending mark for identical services, including consultations, health check-ups, and patient coordination.
The Defendant's Move: Adopting 'House of Doctors'
The group argued that MVP Healthcare's adoption was dishonest and not . The defendant, operating in the same field, had been put on notice through the trademark examination reports, the opposition, and a sent in , but continued its infringement. The impugned mark mirrored the group’s distinctive layout – the letters "HOD" placed above "House of Doctors," just as the group's logo displays "H.O.D." above "House of Diagnostics." Given the identical service sector, the group submitted that confusion among the public was inevitable, especially because any deficiency in the defendant's healthcare services could harm patient welfare.
Court's Verdict: Infringement Established
Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the group's sales of ₹188.99 crore in 2024-25 and promotional expenditure of ₹6.67 crore in the same year reflected immense goodwill and reputation. The court observed that the defendant had entered the field only in
, while the group adopted its marks in
—making the group the
and holder of
. The comparison of the rival marks left little doubt:
"Adoption of
by the Defendant is only to encash on the formidable reputation of the Plaintiffs by misrepresenting to public that the services have some connection with those of the Plaintiffs,"
the court held. It further stated,
"
, Defendant is infringing the registered HOD marks of the Plaintiffs and also
its goods as those of the Plaintiffs."
A Pattern of Protection: Prior Orders Cited
The judgment highlighted three earlier instances where the High Court had recognized the group's rights. In , an appeal was settled with the appellant agreeing to block the domain HOD.life . In , another defendant was restrained from using "House of Pathology," and the suit was decreed the following year. As recently as , a third order restrained the use of "HOD Home of Diagnostics." These consistent rulings underscored the distinctiveness and value of the HOD brand.
Injunction Granted: Immediate Relief for Plaintiffs
While granting the , the court found that the lay entirely with the plaintiffs and that would ensue without protection. The order restrains MVP Healthcare and all those acting on its behalf from using the "HOD House of Doctors" mark or any similar mark that infringes the group’s and . The defendant has been directed to remove all listings under the impugned mark from its website and social media platforms within two weeks of receiving the order. The matter is set for further proceedings before the Joint Registrar on .
