Emerging Markets Provide Long-Term Prospects for Mammography

Emerging healthcare markets will shortly account for over 50% of mammography unit shipments, according to a new market report.

InMedica (Wellingborough, UK), part of IHS, Inc. (Englewood, CO, USA), noted a strong investment in healthcare services, the result of long-term economic growth in regions such as China, Latin America, and South East Asia that is driving demand for mammography, with shipments forecast to increase by almost 60% in 2016.

Until recently, investment and coverage of specific equipment for women’s healthcare in emerging regions has been poor. Lower incidence rates of breast cancer, cultural views, and stretched healthcare resource led to many providers centering only on indispensable equipment, ignoring mammography equipment. However, increased awareness and education of breast cancer in the last 10 years, combined with economic prosperity, is increasing demand.

“We have observed positive signs form a number of emerging regions in the development of women’s healthcare and mammography services,” commented Stephen Holloway, a senior analyst at InMedica. “Yet, there remains a huge opportunity for future growth.” While public investment accounts some market development, the majority of demand has been in the private market. Here, greater awareness of the population is driving women to request mammograms; to answer demand private providers are investing in mammography X-ray equipment.

Broader access to mammography services will not, however, happen immediately. “Despite our growth forecast of 8%-10% annually in emerging regions for the period 2012 to 2016, full access to mammography service penetration will take far longer,” continued Mr. Holloway. “In many regions, resources and investment in healthcare remains far below the global average. Unfortunately in these regions, mammography is not seen as essential to warrant investment.”

In comparison, mature healthcare markets are reaching saturation, with a large proportion of sites utilizing digital flat panel mammography equipment. However, use and awareness of these services is dogged by confusing contradictory clinical studies and the lack of one clear advance in mammography technology. Tomosynthesis, “compound-view,” and contrast-enhancement have all been developed and proposed recently, however, no technology has emerged as a distinct industry standard. An absence of clarity on the importance and implication of breast density is also clouding much of the evidence and adding to the muddle.

These factors, combined with challenging economic environment, are preventing healthcare providers from taking risks investing in new high-technology equipment. Longer-term, the future of mammography X-ray may also be numbered, with use of other modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound increasing and worries regarding radiation dose intensifying. “Emerging markets offer the greatest short and long-term opportunities for mammography market growth,” concluded Mr. Holloway. “Fundamental to this development will be supplier investment in educational and clinical training for healthcare providers. Changing the traditional view of mammography as an essential service rather than accessory service is fundamental.”

InMedica is the medical technology research division of IMS Research, a provider of market research and consultancy to the global electronics industry.

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