48 France's worldwide position in biomedical research through its scientific publications

In 2015, nearly 75% of biomedical research publications were produced by the European Union, the United States and China. France, which is less specialised in biomedical research than the United States or some European countries, is ranked seventh with twenty thousand articles, i.e. 3.4% of worldwide publications. It is ranked eighth in terms of citations received, but has a higher impact index than the global average.

In 2015, the European Union produced 31% of worldwide scientific publications on biomedical research, covering various fields in fundamental biology and medical research. The European Union has thus outstripped the United States, which is the leading producer country with 26%, followed by China with 11% (chart 48.01). Japan accounts for 5% of publications.

The leading European producers are the United Kingdom (5.5%), Germany (5.2%) and Italy (3.9%); all three specialise in biomedical research (see methodology section for the definition of the specialisation index and chart 48.02). France (3.4%) comes next with a lesser specialisation. The impact of the European Union publications (ratio between the share of citations and the share of publications) is higher than the global average but lower than publications by the United States and Switzerland (chart 48.02). Within the European Union, the United Kingdom and Netherlands are both specialised and produce high-impact publications.

France’s scientific output for biomedical research has increased by 17% over the last decade, with twenty thousand articles listed in the WoS database in 2015. France's share within the European Union has held at around 11% since 2005, but its worldwide share is in decline. The number of citations received by French publications increased between 2005 and 2015, but the French share of these citations fell slightly. France’s impact index is therefore showing an improvement, rising from 0.89 in 2005 to 1.06 in 2015. Changes in the share and impact index could be explained by the huge increase in the number of publications from countries such as China, whose impact index remains low.

In terms of subject areas, France specialises in microbiology and immunology, reproduction and developmental biology and cardiology and pulmonology. France's specialisation is increasing in reproduction and developmental biology and in bioengineering as well as, to a lesser extent, in neurosciences and behavioural sciences. It still does not specialise in biotechnology and genetics, pharmacy and toxicology or public health (table 48.04). France's impact index for all subject areas is around the global average (between 0.8 and 1.1).

One French publication on biomedical research in two has at least one foreign author. In this field, France mainly co-publishes with its traditional, more specialised partners, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland. The United States, United Kingdom and Germany are more important partners for France than France is for them (chart 48.03). Conversely, France is a more important partner for Belgium, Switzerland and Spain. Co-publications with Spain, which is now the fifth-ranked partner for France, have virtually doubled in ten years. Lastly, France’s co-publications on biomedical research with China have virtually tripled over the decade (chart 48.03).

Aouatif de La Laurencie, Françoise Laville & Frédérique Sachwald