France vs United Kingdom: Life science patents granted, by filing office
France
572 patents
in 2023
United Kingdom
749 patents
in 2023
France rank
11th
United Kingdom rank
9th
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- France
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 749 patents against 572 patents in France, a difference of 177 patents.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.3 times France's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was France ahead.
France ranks 11th and United Kingdom ranks 9th of 70 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, France averaged higher in 4 and United Kingdom in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,036 patents | 924.9 patents | 111.5 patents | France |
| 1990s | 853.7 patents | 400.2 patents | 453.5 patents | France |
| 2000s | 789.8 patents | 370.4 patents | 419.4 patents | France |
| 2010s | 636.5 patents | 367.6 patents | 268.9 patents | France |
| 2020s | 647.25 patents | 719.5 patents | 72.25 patents | United Kingdom |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher life science patents granted, by filing office, France or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 749 patents against 572 patents in France as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between France and United Kingdom?
- 177 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 filing office?
- France ranks 11th 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.