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.”

Urology market reports >>

To top