Latex Medical Disposables Market Size

Latex Medical Disposables Market Analysis

The latex medical disposables market is projected to register a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period.

COVID-19 impacted the latex medical disposables market owing to the high demand for medical disposables used to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospitals as well as homes. There was increased production and supply of latex medical disposables during the pandemic. For instance, according to the study published in August 2021 by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 11.3% of patients with COVID-19 in 314 United Kingdom hospitals became infected after hospital admission. Thus, to prevent such HAIs, the use of latex medical disposable gloves was highly recommended. Currently, the market growth has slightly seized since the COVID-19 cases declined. The market is expected to face competition in the forecast period due to the adoption of advanced alternatives, such as nitrile gloves and silicone catheters, over latex medical disposable products.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of the major attributable factors of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and awareness regarding SSIs can reduce the hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality associated with SSIs. For instance, according to the article published in the Saudi Journal of Medicine & Medical Sciences in August 2022, when a multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients (aged over 18 years) who underwent surgery at six centers located across the five regions of Saudi Arabia, 45.8% of the surveyed population had a fair knowledge about SSIs among which nearly 42% gained knowledge about SSIs from sources outside the hospital, and internet/social media platforms accounted for 48.4% of such sources. Therefore, fair awareness about such infections increases the demand for latex medical disposables used in hospitals as well as at homes.

Furthermore, as reusable medical devices are used for multiple patients, there are chances of inadequate cleaning of the devices, increasing the risk of infection by many folds. For instance, an FDA article updated in April 2022 reported that inadequate cleaning between patient uses can result in the retention of blood, tissue, and other biological debris (soil) in certain types of reusable medical devices, such as endoscopes. This debris can allow microbes to survive the subsequent disinfection or sterilization process, which may then lead to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Hence, it is advisable to use disposable gloves in hospitals and clinics while using any medical device or during surgical procedures to reduce the risk of transmission of bacteria and viruses to patients, thereby propelling the utility of latex medical disposable gloves.

The strategic initiatives by market players, such as product launch, approval, and partnership, are also contributing to the growth of the market. For instance, in November 2021, Cathetrix, a developer of urinary (Foley) smart catheter fixations, presented its new catheter stabilizer, Foley/Safe 2.0, to prevent UTIs and accidental Foley catheter extractions at MEDICA 2021. Foley/Safe 2.0 prevents catheter dislodgement and movement, reducing the risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (UTI), and provides two-layer protection securement to patients with Foley catheters, latex, and silicone. The company is planning to launch commercially at the Arab Health 2023, which will likely be held in Dubai, UAE, in January - February 2023. Therefore, the expected product launch is projected to contribute to the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Therefore, owing to the aforementioned factors, such as the high burden of HAIs and rising product launches by market players, the studied market is anticipated to witness growth over the analysis period. However, latex allergy in people is likely to impede the market growth.