Cybersecurity innovation among medical industry companies has dropped off in the last year

Research and innovation in cybersecurity in the medical sector has declined in the last year.

The most recent figures show that the number of related patent applications in the industry stood at 118 in the three months ending April - down from 124 over the same period in 2021.

Figures for patent grants related to followed a similar pattern to filings - shrinking from 57 in the three months ending April 2021 to 47 in the same period in 2022.

Figures for patent grants related to followed a similar pattern to filings - shrinking from 57 in the three months ending April 2021 to 47 in the same period in 2022.

The figures are compiled by GlobalData, who track patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Using textual analysis, as well as official patent classifications, these patents are grouped into key thematic areas, and linked to key companies across various industries.

is one of the key areas tracked by GlobalData. It has been identified as being a key disruptive force facing companies in the coming years, and is one of the areas that companies investing resources in now are expected to reap rewards from.

The figures also provide an insight into the largest innovators in the sector.

Johnson & Johnson was the top innovator in the medical sector in the latest quarter. The company, which has its headquarters in the United States, filed 21 related patents in the three months ending April. That was down from 36 over the same period in 2021.

It was followed by the United States based Becton Dickinson and Co with 15 patent applications, the United States based Baxter International Inc (8 applications), and the United States based Hill-Rom Holdings Inc (7 applications).

Becton Dickinson and Co has recently ramped up R&D in . It saw growth of 40% in related patent applications in the three months ending April compared to the same period in 2021 - the highest percentage growth out of all companies tracked with more than 10 quarterly patents in the medical sector.