Sex Researcher Wins $2.4M in Trademark Case

ST. LOUIS (CN) - A federal jury awarded $2.4 million to sex researcher Virginia Johnson, of Masters and Johnson fame, in a trademark infringement case. Johnson claimed Delaware-based Universal Health Services violated a license agreement to use the Masters and Johnson name.

After Masters and Johnson divorced and closed their St. Louis clinic, Johnson and her late husband, William Masters, signed a contract with UHS to use the Masters and Johnson name to market their programs in their hospitals.

But Johnson's lawyers said UHS used the name to market therapy programs for issues beyond sexual dysfunction and trauma, which were the areas of focus for Masters and Johnson. UHS attorneys said they will appeal.

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