Life science patents granted, by filing office in France
France: Life science patents granted, by filing office was 572 patents in 2023. ▼ Falling
Life science patents granted, by filing office in France, 1980–2023
Source: World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in patents.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life science patents granted, by filing office in France is 572 patents, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of down 10.8% on the previous year and down 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life science patents granted, by filing office in France peaked at 1,431 patents in 1980 and was at its lowest, 453 patents, in 2018.
France ranks 11th of 70 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 44 years of available data.
Life science patents granted, by filing office in France, year by year
| Year | patents | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,431 patents | — |
| 1981 | 995 patents | -30.5% |
| 1982 | 1,055 patents | +6.0% |
| 1983 | 1,406 patents | +33.3% |
| 1984 | 1,148 patents | -18.3% |
| 1985 | 1,225 patents | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 959 patents | -21.7% |
| 1987 | 656 patents | -31.6% |
| 1988 | 800 patents | +22.0% |
| 1989 | 689 patents | -13.9% |
| 1990 | 799 patents | +16.0% |
| 1991 | 619 patents | -22.5% |
| 1992 | 516 patents | -16.6% |
| 1993 | 487 patents | -5.6% |
| 1994 | 1,047 patents | +115.0% |
| 1995 | 1,277 patents | +22.0% |
| 1996 | 835 patents | -34.6% |
| 1997 | 1,174 patents | +40.6% |
| 1998 | 948 patents | -19.3% |
| 1999 | 835 patents | -11.9% |
| 2000 | 726 patents | -13.1% |
| 2001 | 773 patents | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 698 patents | -9.7% |
| 2003 | 752 patents | +7.7% |
| 2004 | 1,021 patents | +35.8% |
| 2005 | 818 patents | -19.9% |
| 2006 | 922 patents | +12.7% |
| 2007 | 814 patents | -11.7% |
| 2008 | 757 patents | -7.0% |
| 2009 | 617 patents | -18.5% |
| 2010 | 683 patents | +10.7% |
| 2011 | 660 patents | -3.4% |
| 2012 | 1,014 patents | +53.6% |
| 2013 | 792 patents | -21.9% |
| 2014 | 617 patents | -22.1% |
| 2015 | 647 patents | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 553 patents | -14.5% |
| 2017 | 475 patents | -14.1% |
| 2018 | 453 patents | -4.6% |
| 2019 | 471 patents | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 592 patents | +25.7% |
| 2021 | 784 patents | +32.4% |
| 2022 | 641 patents | -18.2% |
| 2023 | 572 patents | -10.8% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 572 patents is above the median for high income countries, which is 28 patents, 20.4× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- France's 572 patents is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 25.5 patents, 22.4× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life science patents granted, by filing office in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +115.0% | 487 patents | 1,047 patents |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 1,036 patents | 656 patents | 1,431 patents | 10 |
| 1990s | 853.7 patents | 487 patents | 1,277 patents | 10 |
| 2000s | 789.8 patents | 617 patents | 1,021 patents | 10 |
| 2010s | 636.5 patents | 453 patents | 1,014 patents | 10 |
| 2020s | 647.25 patents | 572 patents | 784 patents | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More science & technology data for France
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 116.69 (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.13 units per person (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 77.53 million (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 143.85 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 0.6356 % change on previous year (2023)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 0.8809 % change on previous year (2023)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 1,378 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 1,378 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life science patents granted, by filing office in France?
- Life science patents granted, by filing office in France was 572 patents in 2023, according to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 1,431 patents in 1980.
- What is the lowest life science patents granted, by filing office recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 453 patents in 2018.
- How does France rank for life science patents granted, by filing office?
- France ranks 11th out of 70 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life science patents granted, by filing office rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Life science patents granted, by filing office. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.