France Radiology Service Market Analysis

France Radiology Service Market Executive Summary

The France Radiology Service market is at around $110 Mn in 2023 and is projected to reach $270.2 Mn in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period.

Radiology, also known as diagnostic imaging, is a branch of medicine that uses imaging technology to diagnose, characterize, monitor, and treat diseases. Some of the most common imaging techniques include X-ray, MRI, ultrasound, CT scan and PET scan. Radiology is important as every sector within the healthcare field relies on radiology, including surgery, paediatrics, obstetrics, oncology, emergency medicine, to name a few. Radiology is a broader term composed of diagnostic radiology, interventional radiology, and therapeutic radiology which use radiant energy to diagnose and treat the diseases. Diagnostic radiology involves visualization of the various images of the body for evaluating symptoms, screening of illnesses, and diagnosis of diseases. Diagnostic radiology is usually non-invasive and performed without any incisions or surgical interventions. Interventional radiology is basically image-guided surgery and is used as a part of the medical treatment process. The various procedures under interventional radiology include angiography, angioplasty, embolization, gastrostomy, stent placement, catheter placement, and many more. It is often used to help treat cancer, lymphatic diseases, and vascular abnormalities. Therapeutic radiology is also referred to as radiation oncology or radiation therapy which involves treatment of cancer and other diseases using radiation.

Chronic diseases are a major concern for the French healthcare system, impacting both public health and economic well-being and eventually leading to morbidity and mortality. The France Radiology Service Market is thus driven by significant factors such as the increasing burden of chronic diseases, rising demand for non-invasive procedures, and technological advancements. However, high cost, risk of radiation, and automation challenges restrict the growth and potential of the market.

The major players of the France Radiology Service Market are Centre Chirugical Ambroise-Pare, CHP Saint-Gregoire, Chinique de L’Alma, Centre De Radiologie Croisette, Hospital Saint Louis, and La Clinique de l'Infirmerie Protestante, among others.

Market Dynamics

Market Growth Drivers

Increasing Burden of Chronic Diseases: The age-standardised rate for all cancers for men and women combined was 339.0 in the year 2022 according to the World Cancer Research Fund International. The statement supports the rising number of cancer cases which leads to demand for medical imaging diagnostics as there is a strong need for early detection. The scanning procedures in radiology are valuable for staging the cancer because it provides valuable information about the severity and spread of the cancer which is important for planning the treatment course. Thus, radiology scans ultimately lead to a growth in the market.

Rising Demand for Non-Invasive Procedures: Patients typically prefer invasive procedures because they result in less pain and discomfort. Diagnostic radiology majorly involves non-invasive procedures which do not involve incisions or surgery, which encourages better patient adherence. Importantly, non-invasive procedures pose lower risks of complications compared to invasive ones. The increasing demand of non-invasive procedures is driving market growth.

Technological Advancements: Medical imaging technology has evolved significantly, providing medical professionals with powerful tools for visualization and diagnosis. The accuracy and precision of older imaging methods like X-rays, CT, and MRI have improved. More recent technologies, such as PET and SPECT have gained importance, allowing for improved visualisation of organs, tissues, and physiological processes. These technological innovations are drastically driving the market growth.

Market Restraints

High Cost: Radiology requires expensive equipment, such as MRI, CT, and PET scanners which increases the costs of the treatment. All patients might not be financially capable to acquire the required radiology services and they resist the early diagnosis. The high pricing ultimately affects the growth of Radiology Service Market.

Risk of Radiation: While radiology is highly beneficial in medical diagnostics, there is a radiation involved in the procedures. Different diagnostic tests require different amounts of radiation. However, there is a possibility of risk for cancer and tissue damage. Therefore, the exposure to radiation in various imaging techniques can severely impact the market growth.

Automation Challenges: While there have been significant technological innovations in field of radiology, there are some automation challenges due to the generation of big data. It is a challenge to manage, analyze, and store the vast amount of data. Automation is a solution however, automatic analysis of medical images requires many image processing techniques such as feature extraction and segmentation and pre-processing operations such as noise removal, image enhancement, edge detection. However, automation of medical image processing techniques is not easy due to the complex and varying nature of medical images.

Regulatory Landscape and Reimbursement Scenario

The main regulatory body for pharmaceuticals in France is the National Agency for the Safety of Medicines and Health Products (ANSM, Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament et des produits de santé in French). The ANSM is a government organization under the Ministry of Health which ensures the security of health products and facilitates access to innovative therapeutics. The ANSM guarantees the safety, efficacy, accessibility, and appropriate usage of health goods that are sold in France through evaluation, knowledge, and monitoring protocols.

The pharmaceutical companies must submit a completed MAA (Marketing Authorization Application) which can be used for drugs meant for the France market (National Procedure) or for the drugs intended for commercialization throughout the European Union (EU) through the EMA (European Medicines Agency). Through the EMA, products can be authorized through the National Procedure, the Centralised Procedure (CP), Decentralised Procedure (DCP) or Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP). In this case, ANSM acts as a national competent authority (NCA) within the EMA framework. The ANSM then issues a final decision of either approval, conditional approval or refusal after conducting a review and evaluation of the MAA based on safety, efficacy, quality, and risk-benefit ratio. The Medical Device and Technology Evaluation Committee (CNEDiMTS) is the agency which examines the medical devices and classifies them based on their level of risk into the following four classes: Class I for low degree of risk, Class IIa for moderate degree of risk, Class IIb for high potential of risk, and Class III for very serious potential of risk.

The National Union of Health Insurance Funds of France (UNCAM, Union Nationale des Caisses d'Assurance Maladie) is the organization which is responsible for France’s public health insurance system. The UNCAM manages the several social security health insurance funds in charge of reimbursing healthcare costs for French nationals and residents. The French Health High Authority evaluates a medicine’s Medical Benefit (Service Médical Rendu, SMR) considering the severity of disease, safety and clinical efficacy, therapeutic innovation. The Committee on Economic Products for Health (CEPS) negotiates with pharmaceutical firms on the cost of medications. Lastly, the Ministry of Health, based on the recommendations of HAS and CEPS, renders the ultimate decision about reimbursement.

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

Here are some of the major key players in the France Radiology Service Market:

• Centre Chirugical Ambroise-Pare
• CHP Saint-Gregoire
• Chinique de L’Alma
• Centre De Radiologie Croisette
• Hospital Saint Louis
• La Clinique de l'Infirmerie Protestante
• Clinique des Champs-Élysées
• Hôpital Américain de Paris
• Clinique Internationale du Parc Monceau
• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) de Lyon