France vs United Kingdom: Life science patents granted, by technology
France
87 patents
in 2023
United Kingdom
101 patents
in 2023
France rank
17th
United Kingdom rank
15th
Life science patents granted, by technology over time
- France
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 101 patents against 87 patents in France, a difference of 14 patents.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.2 times France's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was France ahead.
France ranks 17th and United Kingdom ranks 15th of 65 countries.
France has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 376.5 patents | 320.6 patents | 55.9 patents | France |
| 1990s | 228.4 patents | 94.4 patents | 134 patents | France |
| 2000s | 231.9 patents | 68.3 patents | 163.6 patents | France |
| 2010s | 169.8 patents | 51.6 patents | 118.2 patents | France |
| 2020s | 122 patents | 83.5 patents | 38.5 patents | France |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by technology, France or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 101 patents against 87 patents in France as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by technology between France and United Kingdom?
- 14 patents, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and United Kingdom?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do France and United Kingdom rank globally for life science patents granted, by technology?
- France ranks 17th and United Kingdom ranks 15th of 65 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) β 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
Number of pharmaceutical patents granted by the filing office in a given year. Pharmaceutical patents typically cover new drugs, biological treatments or vaccines.