US demand for infection prevention products and services will expand 4.8 per cent annually to $24.6 billion in 2018.  According to analyst Bill Martineau, “The increasing enforcement of safeguards aimed at reducing the incidence of health care-associated infections (HAIs) in medical settings will underlie gains.  The upgrading of quality control and quality assurance standards in life science research and pharmaceutical and medical device production facilities will also contribute to growth.” These and other trends are presented in Infection Prevention Products & Services, a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Demand for infection prevention supplies will increase 4.7 per cent annually to $18.6 billion in 2018.  Protective apparel and textiles will lead revenues as stepped up efforts by hospitals to reduce the risk of HAIs in surgery and other invasive procedures broaden the use of premium, barrier enhanced gloves, drapes, gowns, face masks, and other apparel and textiles.  Safety enhanced medical devices will post the fastest growth in demand among infection prevention supplies as medical providers seek to improve the safety of blood collection, catheterisation, drug delivery, and invasive surgical procedures.  

Total demand for infection prevention equipment is forecast to expand 2.9 per cent annually to $990 million in 2018.  Efforts by the health care and life science sectors to keep up with advancing infection prevention technologies and capabilities will increase growth prospects for sterilisation, washing/disinfecting, infectious waste disposal, and various other equipment such as scrub stations, incubators, and ultrasonic cleaners.  Convenience, cost, and regulatory compliance advantages will expand the US market for infection prevention services 5.6 per cent annually.  Infectious waste disposal services will dominate demand as government restrictions on onsite incineration remain and force health facilities to use outside firms for infectious waste collection and disposal.