Australia vs United Kingdom: Life science patents granted, by filing office
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- Australia
- United Kingdom
How they compare
Australia currently reports 4,775 patents against 749 patents in United Kingdom, a difference of 4,026 patents.
That makes Australia's figure about 6.4 times United Kingdom's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was United Kingdom ahead.
Australia ranks 6th and United Kingdom ranks 9th of 70 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Australia averaged higher in 4 and United Kingdom in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Australia | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 790.5 patents | 924.9 patents | 134.4 patents | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 2,323 patents | 400.2 patents | 1,922 patents | Australia |
| 2000s | 3,274 patents | 370.4 patents | 2,903 patents | Australia |
| 2010s | 5,541 patents | 367.6 patents | 5,174 patents | Australia |
| 2020s | 5,196 patents | 719.5 patents | 4,476 patents | Australia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by filing office, Australia or United Kingdom?
- Australia, at 4,775 patents against 749 patents in United Kingdom as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between Australia and United Kingdom?
- 4,026 patents, with Australia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Australia and United Kingdom?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Australia and United Kingdom rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Australia ranks 6th and United Kingdom ranks 9th of 70 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 filing office. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Patents granted within the fields of medical technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals by filing office. These patents cover a wide range of innovations, such as medical devices, diagnostic methods, genetic engineering techniques, biotechnological processes and new drugs.