Johnson & Johnson registered the Red Cross as a U.S. trademark for "medicinal and surgical plasters" in 1905 and has used the design since 1887. The Geneva Conventions, which reserved the Red Cross emblem for specific uses, were first approved in 1864 and ratified by the United States in 1882. However, the emblem was not protected by U.S. law for the use of the American Red Cross (ARC) and the U.S. military until after Johnson & Johnson had obtained its trademark. A clause in this law (now 18 U.S.C. 706) permits this pre-existing use of the Red Cross to continue.
Johnson & Johnson registered the Red Cross as a US trademark for "medicinal and surgical plasters" in 1905 and has used the design since 1887 The Geneva Conventions which reserved the Red Cross emblem for specific uses were first approved in 1864 and ratified by the United States in 1882 However the emblem was not protected by US law for the use of the American Red Cross (ARC) and the US military until after Johnson & Johnson had obtained its trademark A clause in this law (now 18 USC 706) permits this pre-existing use of the Red Cross to continue