France vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Life science patents granted, by filing office
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- France
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
How they compare
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 749 patents against 572 patents in France, a difference of 177 patents.
That makes United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 9th of 70 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, France averaged higher in 4 and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | France | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |
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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 177 patents, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for France and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do France and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- France ranks 11th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 9th of 70 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 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.