Infection Prevention Market to Reach $23.5 Billion in 2013

US demand for infection prevention products and services will increase 4.8 percent annually to $23.5 billion in 2013.  The best growth opportunities are anticipated in safety-enhanced devices -- including IV and urinary catheters, hypodermic syringes and needles, blood collection sets, and surgical scalpels -- that reduce the risk of health care-acquired infections (HAIs) and accidental needlesticks.   Each year, HAIs afflict 2.4 million hospital and ambulatory patients, are linked to 100,000 deaths, and directly and indirectly add $30 billion to national health expenditures.  These and other trends, including market share and products segmentation, are presented in Infection Prevention Products & Services, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry research firm.

Growth opportunities for infection prevention products and services will vary widely by type.  Demand for protective apparel and textiles -- including surgical drapes and gowns, medical and laboratory gloves, face masks and staff apparel -- will advance at a below average pace due to trends toward less invasive patient procedures and limited pricing flexibility.  By contrast, the market for safety-enhanced devices, especially IV and urinary catheters and syringes, will expand rapidly based on stricter OSHA standards aimed at preventing accidental needlesticks and extended health insurance coverage for urinary catheters.  

Disinfectants consumed by health care and life science facilities will post demand of $3.0 billion in 2013, up 3.9 percent annually from 2008.  Growth will benefit from stepped up pressures on health care facilities to upgrade staff hygiene and facility disinfection practices to defend against HAIs such as MRSA, VRE and C. diff.   In general, health care and life science markets for sterilization supplies, equipment and services will post favorable growth as medical providers and producers adopt stricter protocols to ensure the safety of new and reprocessed products.  The widespread upgrading of medical and life science infection prevention standards, coupled with continued EPA restrictions on onsite incineration, will create average or better growth opportunities for medical waste disposal supplies, equipment and services.    

The Freedonia Group is a leading international business research company, founded in 1985, that publishes more than 100 industry research studies annually. This industry analysis provides an unbiased outlook and a reliable assessment of an industry and includes product segmentation and demand forecasts, industry trends, demand history, threats and opportunities, competitive strategies, market share determinations and company profiles.