Germany vs United Kingdom: Life science patents granted, by filing office
Life science patents granted, by filing office over time
- Germany
- United Kingdom
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 749 patents against 553 patents in Germany, a difference of 196 patents.
That makes United Kingdom's figure about 1.4 times Germany's.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 44 shared years of data; in 1980 it was United Kingdom ahead.
Germany ranks 12th and United Kingdom ranks 9th of 70 countries.
Across the 5 decades both report, Germany averaged higher in 3 and United Kingdom in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Germany | United Kingdom | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 806.3 patents | 924.9 patents | 118.6 patents | United Kingdom |
| 1990s | 566.1 patents | 400.2 patents | 165.9 patents | Germany |
| 2000s | 692.9 patents | 370.4 patents | 322.5 patents | Germany |
| 2010s | 616.4 patents | 367.6 patents | 248.8 patents | Germany |
| 2020s | 481 patents | 719.5 patents | 238.5 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, Germany or United Kingdom?
- United Kingdom, at 749 patents against 553 patents in Germany as of 2023.
- What is the difference in life science patents granted, by filing office between Germany and United Kingdom?
- 196 patents, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Germany and United Kingdom?
- 44 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2023.
- How do Germany and United Kingdom rank globally for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- Germany ranks 12th 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.