Denmark vs Sweden: Life science patents granted, by technology

Denmark
6 patents
in 2023
Sweden
7 patents
in 2023
Denmark rank
41st
Sweden rank
39th

Life science patents granted, by technology over time

  • Denmark
  • Sweden
0100200300198020012023

How they compare

Sweden currently reports 7 patents against 6 patents in Denmark, a difference of 1 patents.

That makes Sweden's figure about 1.2 times Denmark's.

The two have swapped places 11 times across 34 shared years of data; in 1982 it was Denmark ahead.

Denmark ranks 41st and Sweden ranks 39th of 64 countries.

Across the 5 decades both report, Denmark averaged higher in 4 and Sweden in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Denmark Sweden Difference Ahead
1980s 99.67 patents 1.67 patents 98 patents Denmark
1990s 98.86 patents 21.86 patents 77 patents Denmark
2000s 43.3 patents 14.6 patents 28.7 patents Denmark
2010s 4.1 patents 3.9 patents 0.2 patents Denmark
2020s 4.75 patents 5.25 patents 0.5 patents Sweden

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher life science patents granted, by technology, Denmark or Sweden?
Sweden, at 7 patents against 6 patents in Denmark as of 2023.
What is the difference in life science patents granted, by technology between Denmark and Sweden?
1 patents, with Sweden ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Denmark and Sweden?
34 years are reported by both, from 1982 to 2023.
How do Denmark and Sweden rank globally for life science patents granted, by technology?
Denmark ranks 41st and Sweden ranks 39th of 64 countries.
Where does this data come from?
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Life science patents granted, by technology. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Life science patents granted, by technology
Unit
patents
Source
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
65 places, 2,044 data points, 1980–2023
Last refreshed

Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.