Trademark Classes · Class 5
Class 5 covers pharmaceuticals, medicines, supplements, and medical and veterinary preparations, plus sanitary products and disinfectants. Here is what it includes, what it excludes, and how to word it to avoid an objection.
Class 5 is one of the most important goods classes, covering pharmaceutical, medical, and veterinary preparations. It includes medicines and drugs, dietary and nutritional supplements, medicated products, sanitary preparations for medical use, disinfectants, and preparations for destroying pests, such as pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
The organising principle is medical, therapeutic, or protective purpose. This is what pulls many products out of other classes into Class 5: a medicated version of a cosmetic, a therapeutic food, or a pest-control chemical all land here because of what they do, not what they are made of. This page is part of our full guide to all 45 trademark classes, and to how protection works across jurisdictions in our overview of trademark law and protection.
Work out whether your product or service genuinely sits in Class 5 before you file, because a wrong class protects the wrong thing.
Pharmaceutical companies, supplement and nutraceutical brands, makers of medicated cosmetics and toiletries, veterinary product manufacturers, medical consumables such as dressings, and producers of disinfectants and pest-control preparations. If your product carries a medical, therapeutic, or protective claim, Class 5 is very likely your class. Our trademark class search helps you check which classes fit before you file.
The most common Class 5 mistakes come from classifying by the wrong feature. These closely related items sit elsewhere:
An ordinary cream is Class 3; a medicated cream treating a condition is Class 5. The therapeutic claim is what moves it.
A normal food is in its food class; a medical or therapeutic dietary preparation is Class 5.
Instruments and apparatus are Class 10; consumable medical preparations and dressings are Class 5.
The Registry expects specific, standardised descriptions, not vague terms. Here are examples of clear, acceptable Class 5 wording:
| Instead of (vague) | Use (standardised) |
|---|---|
| “Medicine” | “Pharmaceutical preparations” · “Pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of [specify]” |
| “Supplements” | “Dietary supplements” · “Nutritional supplements” |
| “Vitamins” | “Vitamin preparations” |
| “Pesticide” | “Pesticides” · “Herbicides” · “Fungicides” |
| “Sanitiser” | “Disinfectants” · “Sanitary preparations for medical purposes” |
Each entry is specific and standardised. These are illustrative examples of acceptable phrasing, not legal advice for your filing; your exact wording should be drawn from the current NICE Classification and tailored to what your business actually does. Wording is a common cause of objections whether you file in India, the United States, Argentina, or elsewhere. For filing across several countries at once, see our global registration guide.
Class 5 covers pharmaceutical, medical, and veterinary preparations, including medicines and drugs, dietary and nutritional supplements, medicated products, sanitary preparations for medical use, disinfectants, and pest-control preparations such as pesticides and herbicides. The organising principle is medical, therapeutic, or protective purpose, which is what pulls products into Class 5 from other classes.
Pharmaceutical companies, supplement and nutraceutical brands, makers of medicated cosmetics, veterinary product manufacturers, producers of medical consumables such as dressings, and makers of disinfectants and pest-control products. If your product carries a medical, therapeutic, or protective claim, Class 5 is likely your class.
Yes. Dietary supplements, nutritional supplements, and vitamin preparations are classified in Class 5. This is a common point of confusion because supplements are consumed like food, but their health-supporting purpose places them in Class 5 rather than a food class. Wording them as dietary supplements or nutritional supplements keeps them correctly classified.
Class 3 covers non-medicated cosmetics and toiletries; Class 5 covers medicated and pharmaceutical preparations. The dividing line is the claim. A plain moisturiser is Class 3, while a medicated cream treating a skin condition is Class 5. If your product makes a therapeutic or medical claim, it generally belongs in Class 5.
Use specific, standardised terms and, where possible, state the therapeutic purpose, such as pharmaceutical preparations for the treatment of a specified condition, dietary supplements, or disinfectants. Precise wording matters especially in Class 5, where broad claims can attract objections. Draw wording from the current NICE Classification and tailor it to your products.
Whether you are protecting your brand in one market or several, we identify the classes you need and handle registration worldwide, worded to avoid an avoidable objection.
