Demand for urinary incontinence devices in Europe growing due to
patient demand
29 September 2008
The European urinary incontinence market is facing challenges such as
lack of sufficient clinical safety studies and price pressures due to
intense competition. However, rising awareness among the target patient
population and the introduction of innovative devices and techniques are
sustaining market expansion.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan European Urinary Incontinence
Devices Market, finds that the market earned revenues of US$568.0
million in 2007 and estimates this to reach US$1,023.2 million by 2014.
“The demand for urinary incontinence devices has been surging due to
the increased incidence of this condition among a rapidly aging
population,” notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Sowmya
Rajagopalan. “Moreover, the use of these medical devices is regarded as
being more advantageous than drugs, which are likely to have unknown
long-term effects.”
Currently, the catheter segment is the largest revenue contributor
for this market. In particular, the intermittent catheters sub-segment
is registering robust growth due to strong infection control
regulations.
Catheters represent a dominant market segment, as they need to be
changed frequently. However, the slings and bulking agent segments are
also expanding. Despite drawbacks associated with the use of bulking
agents, the market is experiencing gradual growth.
“Slings will make strong gains, owing to the extensive research
conducted in this segment,” remarks Rajagopalan. “There have been many
promising developments in this segment, including the launch of
exclusive male slings to treat incontinence in men.”
Heightened awareness and the transition towards treating the
condition, rather than alleviating its symptoms or using disposable
products such as diapers and incontinence pads, has advanced the
prospects of the urinary incontinence devices market.
The uptake of implantable devices has however been moderate, as their
success is yet to be strongly established. However, with increasing
demand and the demonstration of successful clinical studies, the pace of
growth for these devices is set to rise.
“Industry participants should boost patient awareness about this
condition, thus, indirectly promoting knowledge about the advantages of
their products while building a loyal patient base,” concludes
Rajagopalan. “They should also focus on research to develop unique
techniques and products, besides conducting e-clinical trials to prove
the efficacy of existing product offerings.”
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