Saudi Arabia In-vitro Diagnostics Market Size

Saudi Arabia In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Analysis

The Saudi Arabia In-vitro Diagnostics Market size is expected to grow from USD 668.64 million in 2023 to USD 800.29 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 3.66% during the forecast period.

In the initial days of the pandemic, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was in lockdown and implemented travel restrictions along with specific stringent guidelines for the postponement of non-essential medical procedures. This led to a decline in medical diagnoses during the initial pandemic days. However, increasing investment in research and development for rapid diagnostics of COVID-19 symptoms and the increase in the number of COVID-19 patients fueled the diagnostics requirements in several settings. This fueled the market growth significantly during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia. For instance, according to a report published by World Health Organisation in February 2021, the total number of COVID-19 tests during a single week in February 2021 in Saudi Arabia was 13,463,804. This high volume of tests during the pandemic to detect COVID-19 significantly fueled the market's growth during the pandemic. However, with the decreasing cases of COVID-19 in the country, the demand for IVD devices is expected to be stabilized, thereby leading to stable growth in the market owing to diseases other than COVID-19.

The high burden of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases is expected to be a significant driving factor for the in-vitro diagnostics market in Saudi Arabia. Because of the country's rising burden of chronic diseases, the demand for in-vitro diagnostic products is projected to increase for the early and accurate diagnosis of a range of diseases, thereby driving growth in the studied market over the forecast period. For instance, according to a report by the World Bank, the reported cases of tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia in 2021 was 8.2 per 100,000 people, an increase of 5.1% compared to the previous year. Further, as per the 2021 report of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the burden of diabetes in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase from 4.3 million in 2021 to 7.5 million by 2045. This significant rise in the patient population is fueling the demand for precise in-vitro diagnostic products and driving the market.

Likewise, the market for in-vitro diagnostic testing is experiencing growth due to the rise in funding for molecular diagnostics, clinical diagnostics, and other early disease detection initiatives by both government and private organizations. This has led to the advancements of various diagnostic tests, increasing their acceptance among the general population and promoting market growth. For instance, in April 2021, the Saudi Foundation launched a new research fund to address the threat of infectious illnesses around the globe. This increased funding for early diagnosis is boosting the patient preference for molecular diagnostics to address the threats from infectious diseases.

Also, an increasing number of awareness campaigns on early disease diagnosis enhance the knowledge of the disease and fuel the adoption of advanced disease diagnosis options like in-vitro diagnostic testing. For instance, according to an article published by Arab News in October 2022, Al-Qassim Health Cluster launched a breast cancer awareness campaign, "Qassim is Rosary," in Saudi Arabia in October to increase the knowledge on breast cancer and ways for early detection and treatment.

Hence, the rising disease burden, initiatives for research funding for early disease detection, and increasing awareness campaigns for critical disorders and their available diagnostic testing options drive the demand and adoption and, alternatively, foster market growth. However, uncertain reimbursement policies are expected to hinder market growth in Saudi Arabia.