The global medical disposables market was valued at $318.3 million in 2020. Between 2021 and 2028, it is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 16.7%. This market growth is due to an increasing number of surgeries, increasing incidence of hospital-acquired infections, growing prevalence of chronic disease, and the global impact of COVID-19 epidemics.
The disposable medical supplies market includes surgical gowns and drapes, condoms, gloves, face masks, sutures, needles, and syringes. Surgical gowns and drapes are further segmented into sterile gowns, non-sterile gowns, and surgical drapes. Condoms include latex condoms and polyurethane condoms. Gloves include latex gloves and non-latex gloves (synthetic or natural rubber). Face masks include surgical masks, respirators, and respirator filters. Sutures include monofilament nylon sutures (single use) and braided nylon sutures (single use). Needles and syringes include hypodermic needles (18 gauge), needle holders (straight/curved), pin tractors (straight/curved), trocar blades (blunt/sharp), cannula tips, and more.
Medical disposables have significantly increased in demand due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the increasing number of hospital admissions worldwide. To meet increasing demand, the WHO appealed to governments and industries to increase the production of personal protective equipment (hospital gowns and gloves, masks, goggles, and aprons) by 40%. The WHO also stated that prices had risen significantly due to increased demand for these accessories. The cost of surgical masks increased sixfold, while hospital gowns increased by twofold—the WHO has also shipped approximately half a million sets of personal protection equipment to 47 countries. The market has dramatically affected the COVID-19 outbreak, a highly effective driver.
The market for disposable medical supplies will be affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. SARS-CoV-2, a pandemic that has ravaged the world, has seen a dramatic increase in demand for medical disposables, medicines, emergency supplies, and hospital equipment, including gowns and antiseptics. COVID-19, a zoonotic disease, was first reported in China in December 2019. Bats were thought to be the main reservoir. The first case of COVID-19 was reported in China in December 2019. Since then, the disease has spread rapidly. It was discovered that the first case of the disease was reported in Wuhan. After the incident, the human-to-human transmission was restricted mainly to Wuhan families
The market for medical disposables will be positively affected by the rising prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the global prevalence of diabetes will increase from 366.0 million in 2011 to 55.2 million by 2030. The market’s growth will be positive because prolonged diabetes can lead to diabetic foot ulcers, which leads to a more extended hospital stay. The market for medical disposables is expected to grow due to the growing senior population. By 2050, the world’s geriatric population will grow from 84.0 million to 2.0 billion, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Geriatrics are more susceptible to many diseases, so market growth is expected to increase over the forecast period.
Market growth will also be supported by the constant efforts of significant market players. 3M announced in May 2019 that it would acquire Acelity Inc. to improve wound management solutions, which could increase the company’s customer base. These initiatives by key players will likely drive market growth during the forecast period. To strengthen their market position for medical disposables, key players are also implementing various strategies. Smith & Nephew PLC purchased Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. in April 2019 to help accelerate its advanced wound management product development.
The global medical disposables market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2020 to 2022. In 2020, sterilization supplies dominated the disposable medical supplies market and held the largest revenue share at 13.0%. The market can be divided into four product groups:
Cotton swabs, cotton balls, test tubes, and other products for sterilization are all available. These products can be used to prevent infection from surgery. This segment also contains sterilizer bags that can be used to sterilize medical devices. This segment also includes innovative products like premixed cotton swabs that can be sterilized with solutions. These products are easy to use, reducing the time and effort required to apply the solution to cotton balls in the right proportions. This segment is expected to grow due to the lack of effective alternatives and innovative packaging.
Hand sanitizers have seen a huge increase in demand since the COVID-19 epidemic. According to the World Health Organization, hand sanitizers should be used frequently to prevent coronavirus transmission. India has also banned hand sanitizer exports from addressing the problem of shortages. The ban was included under the Essential Commodities Act 1955. Brazilian authorities also directed the Armed Forces laboratories to produce large quantities of alcohol-based gel to treat infected patients. Puntland State University also developed inexpensive hand sanitizers that could be used to alleviate the lack of hand sanitizers in Somalia. John Distilleries, a whisky producer in India, has announced that it will produce hand sanitizers at its Goa and Bangalore distilleries to address the COVID-19 crisis. The forecast period is expected to see a significant increase in sales.
Plastic resins dominated the market in 2020, and they accounted for more than 58.0% of the total revenue. Plastic resins are used to make medical devices like disposable Syringes, containers, tubes for an intravenous solution, and other packaging materials. As hospital-acquired infections are becoming more prevalent, disposable items are being used more frequently to combat the spread of COVID-19. Many types of plastics offer a wide range of properties, such as Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), low- and high-density Polyethylene (LHP), and polystyrene. This has increased the use of plastics within the healthcare industry.
Over the forecast period, the fastest-growing segment in non-woven materials is expected to be. Because it offers excellent protection against hospital-borne and surgical site infections, non-woven material is preferred in hospitals and clinics over woven material. These materials are expected to be in high demand due to their low weight, affordability, and ease of recycling. It is used primarily for manufacturing products like surgical gowns and sanitary napkins, bandages, drapes, bandages, masks, and sanitary napkins. This material’s manufacturing cost is lower than its counterparts because of the ease of manufacturing and availability of raw materials like polyester. The introduction of minimally invasive procedures and medical procedures that involve minimal body contact could limit the segment’s growth over the forecast period.
In 2020, the hospital segment was the dominant market player and had a 54.0% revenue share. This is partly due to an increasing number of patients admitted to hospitals for COVID-19 treatments and surgeries. Operating rooms produce more than 2000 tons of waste per day, according to a University of California, San Francisco study. Among these wastes, a considerable amount is made up of disposable medical supplies. This could encourage the sector’s growth over the forecast period due to the high use of disposable medical supplies in hospitals.
Over the forecast period, home healthcare is expected to experience significant growth. The most common medical disposables in the home health care segment are used needles and syringes, lancets, syringes, and solid bandages. Due to the growing geriatric population and the government’s legislation to decrease hospital readmissions, home healthcare demand is rising. Within the forecast period, we will see an increase in the adoption of home healthcare, which will lead to an increase in the demand for medical disposables.
North America was the dominant market, with a 33.3% revenue share in 2020. This is due to the growing number of surgeries in the region and key market players. The demand for medical disposables has increased due to the increase in COVID-19-related patients. According to a WHO report, more than 3,39,000.9 cases and 1,509.9 new cases in Canada.
As a result of high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in Asia Pacific, along with the rising geriatric population in the region, the region is expected to grow at the fastest rate. COVID-19 has also made the Asia Pacific one of the most affected regions. South Korea and China have reported high numbers of COVID-19-related cases. It is also easier to transmit the virus within the community because of the densely populated areas in this region. This region has many potential patients, which is expected to fuel the market growth during the forecast period.
Aside from the big players, there has been a rise in some promising healthcare startups like Seattle-based bttn, who is a leading online medical supply store helping home healthcare operators, hospitals, physician’s offices, and other healthcare professionals obtain all of the medical supplies they need at wholesale prices where they can experience 20-40% savings on their medical supply purchases too.