United Kingdom In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Size

UK In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market Analysis

The United Kingdom In-Vitro Diagnostics Market size is estimated at USD 3.96 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 5.70 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 7.59% during the forecast period (2024-2029).

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the United Kingdom's in-vitro diagnostics market. For instance, an article published by the AMS in September 2021, stated the urgent requirement to diagnose increasing COVID-19-positive patients accelerated the development of IVD kits across the UK. Thus, COVID-19 surged the demand for IVD kits and the market witnessed significant growth during the pandemic. However, in the current scenario, with the decrease in COVID-19 cases, the demand for IVD may get stabilized compared to the initial days of the pandemic but the presence of other diseases may keep on increasing the demand for IVD kits over the forecast period.

The major factors fueling the market growth are the rising prevalence of chronic disease increased demand for early and effective diagnostic tests, increased use of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, and increasing awareness and acceptance of personalized medicine and companion diagnostics have also helped the market growth.

The rising prevalence of chronic diseases is a major factor driving market growth. For instance, the BHF published CVD factsheet in Febrauray 2023, which reported there were about 7.6 million people in the UK living with heart and circulatory diseases, of which 4 million people were male, and 3.6 million were female in the year 2021. Similarly, diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in the UK. For instance, in 2021, the IDF reported that 6.3% of individuals in the country aged between 20 years to 79 years were living with diabetes and this number is projected to increase by 7.5% by 2045. Thus, a high number of people living with heart and circulatory diseases and diabetes are driving the demand for in-vitro diagnostics thus fueling the growth of the studied market.

Also, the rising geriatric population of the country will have a positive outlook on the market, as it is more prone to diseases and other medical conditions. For instance, a report published United Kingdom Office of National Statistics (ONS) in November 2022, stated that over 11 million people in England and Wales account for 18.6% of the total population aged 65 years or older, compared with 16.4% at the time of the previous census. This included over 527,900 people who were at least 90 years of age. Since older people are more prevalent to heart diseases and other chronic diseases, the increasing geriatric population is increasing the demand for IVDs, thereby driving the growth of the studied market.

Moreover, the introduction of point-of-care diagnostics and its increasing use is driving the growth of the studied market. For instance, in May 2022, LumiraDx, a UK-based healthcare company that manufactures a diagnostic platform to support a menu of tests reported that its HbA1c test received a CE mark for the screening and monitoring of people with diabetes in the point of care (POC) setting. Thus, the launch of such POC is also contributing to the growth of the studied market.

Furthermore, government initiatives in the country are expected to boost the growth of the market studied, during the forecast period. For instance, in November 2021, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Immunisation and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Division launched a new rash-fever surveillance scheme. This program aims to increase the number of samples tested for measles and rubella diagnostics testing, the program was initiated by the UK government and distributed rubella diagnostic kits for rapid rubella testing. Thus, such initiatives taken by the government to minimize the transmission of infectious diseases by increasing the sample diagnosis are driving the growth of the studied market.

Thus, the rising prevalence of chronic disease increased demand for early and effective diagnostic tests, increased use of point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, and increased awareness and acceptance of personalized medicine and companion diagnostics are driving the growth of the studied market. However, stringent regulatory frameworks in the country are expected to impede the growth of the in-vitro diagnostics market in the UK.