Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market Analysis

Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market Executive Summary

The Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market was valued at $206.1 Mn in 2023 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 3.24% from 2023 to 2030, to $257.6 Mn by 2030

Clinical nutrition for cancer care is a specialized field focusing on providing optimal nutritional support to patients throughout their cancer journey. It goes beyond simply “eating healthy” and involves a personalized approach to address the unique nutritional needs of each patient. A registered dietitian or other qualified healthcare professional usually assess the patient’s nutritional status. Based on the assessment, a personalized plan is created to meet the patient’s individual needs. Nutritional deficiencies are prevalent among cancer patients due to treatment side effects, altered metabolism, and decreased appetite. Clinical nutrition interventions play a crucial role in improving treatment tolerance as adequate nutrition can help patients tolerate chemotherapy and radiation therapy better, potentially reducing side effects and allowing for completion of treatment plans. Also, it maintains strength and immunity as proper nutrition helps patients maintain muscle mass, fight infections, and recover faster from surgery. Lastly, it enhances the quality of life since nutritional support can improve fatigue, appetite, and overall well-being, leading to a better quality of life during cancer treatment.

Advancements in medical nutrition therapy have led to the development of specialized oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and enteral feeding formulas. These products provide concentrated nutrients and can be crucial for patients struggling to meet their nutritional needs through regular diet alone. Parenteral nutrition remains an option for patients unable to tolerate oral or enteral feeding. Overall, clinical nutrition for cancer care plays a vital role in optimizing patient outcomes by ensuring they receive the necessary nutrients to support their body throughout treatment.

The Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market is driven by significant factors such as the increasing prevalence of cancer, increased awareness and education, and increasing healthcare expenditure. However, complexity of cancer care, reduced patient compliance, and stringent regulatory guidelines and approval process restrict the growth and potential of the market.

The notable players of the Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market are Fresenius Kabi, Baxter Deutschland GmbH, Dr. Franz Schneider GmbH & Co. KG, Nutricia GmbH, and B. Braun Melsungen AG, among others. Fresenius Kabi, headquartered in Bad Homburg, Germany, is leading global healthcare company with a significant presence in the clinical nutrition market. It operates in over 100 countries with a diverse product portfolio. The three core focus areas of Fresenius Kabi includes clinical nutrition, renal care, and pharmaceuticals. Fresenius Kabi is a major player in the clinical nutrition market, offering a wide range of products for both enteral and parenteral nutrition. Enteral nutrition includes, but is not limited to liquid diets for tube feeding, pump feeds for continuous feeding, bolus feeds for intermittent feeding, and oral nutritional supplements for individuals who have difficulty meeting their nutritional needs through diet alone. Parenteral nutrition includes I.V. solutions delivering essential nutrients directly into the bloodstream and options for various patient needs, including those with specific nutrient requirements or fluid restrictions

Market Dynamics

Market Growth Drivers

Increasing Prevalence of Cancer: A major driver for this market is the increasing global burden of cancer and the high mortality rates associated with it. As the population ages and lifestyle risks like smoking persist, the number of new cancer cases diagnosed each year continues to rise. According to the Global Cancer Observatory, the age-standardized incidence rate in 2022 was 306.5 and 249.0 in males and females, respectively. This translates to a larger patient population requiring specialized nutritional support during treatment, which in turn drives the Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market further.

Increased awareness and education: Increased awareness among healthcare providers, patients, and caregivers about the critical role of nutrition in cancer care drives demand for clinical nutrition products. Training programs and continuous education for oncologists, dietitians, and nurses on the benefits of clinical nutrition ensure that these professionals recommend and administer appropriate nutritional interventions to their patients. Increased awareness and education significantly contribute to the growth of the clinical nutrition market for cancer care by empowering patients, informing healthcare professionals, influencing public health policies, and driving research and product development. As more stakeholders recognize the critical role of nutrition in cancer treatment and recovery, the demand for clinical nutrition products continues to rise, expanding the market and improving patient outcomes.

Increasing Healthcare Expenditure: Higher healthcare expenditure allows for greater investment in R&D of advanced cancer treatments and nutritional products. This includes creating specialized formulas tailored to the needs of cancer patients, improving the efficacy and availability of clinical nutrition solutions. With more funding, healthcare providers can offer the latest cancer therapies, which often necessitate comprehensive nutritional support to manage side effects and enhance patient recovery. Increased spending leads to the development and modernization of hospitals and cancer treatment centres, equipped with the necessary infrastructure to provide comprehensive cancer care, including clinical nutrition services. Expanded healthcare budgets support the growth of homecare services, which include the delivery of clinical nutrition to cancer patients at home, making it more convenient and accessible. Thus, increased healthcare expenditure leads to the growth of Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market.

Market Restraints

Complexity of Cancer Care: Cancer care often involves a multidisciplinary team of oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, nurses, and dietitians. Coordinating the integration of clinical nutrition into comprehensive care plans can be complex and sometimes overlooked. Cancer patients have highly individualized nutritional needs based on their type of cancer, treatment regimen, and overall health. Creating and delivering personalized nutrition plans can be complex and resource-intensive. Also, side effects of cancer treatments can affect patients’ ability to tolerate certain nutritional products, leading to non-compliance or suboptimal nutrition. The complexity of managing multiple aspects of cancer care can lead to low patient compliance with nutritional recommendations, especially if patients are overwhelmed by their treatment regimen. Thus, the complexity of cancer care introduces several challenges that can reduce the market growth of clinical nutrition for cancer care.

Reduced Patient Compliance: Patient compliance is crucial for the effectiveness of nutritional interventions in cancer care. When patient compliance is low, it can significantly reduce the market of clinical nutrition for cancer care in several ways. When patients do not adhere to prescribed nutritional regimens, the expected therapeutic benefits are diminished. This can lead to poorer health outcomes, undermining the perceived value and efficacy of clinical nutrition products. If clinical nutrition products are perceived as ineffective due to non-compliance, healthcare providers may be less likely to recommend them, and patients may be less likely to use them, reducing overall demand. Non-compliance can lead to negative patient experiences if they do not see the expected improvements in their condition. This can result in dissatisfaction and a lack of trust in clinical nutrition products. Negative experiences can spread through word of mouth or online reviews, discouraging other patients and caregivers from using clinical nutrition products.

Stringent Regulatory Guidelines and Approval Process: The process for gaining approval from the regulatory agency can be very lengthy and complex, often taking several years. This delay can slow the introduction of new clinical nutrition products to the market, hindering the ability to meet current patient needs promptly. Next, the high cost and risk associated with meeting regulatory standards can make companies more conservative in their innovation efforts. They might focus on modifying existing products rather than developing entirely new ones, limiting the variety and potential effectiveness of clinical nutrition products available to cancer patients. For niche products, particularly those targeting rare conditions or specific cancer-related nutritional needs, the potential return on investment might not justify the high costs of regulatory compliance, leading to fewer products being developed. While stringent regulatory approval and guidelines are essential for ensuring the safety and efficacy of clinical nutrition products, they can also act as significant barriers to market growth. These regulations can lead to longer time-to-market, higher costs, reduced innovation, and limited competition, all of which can decrease the availability and affordability of clinical nutrition products for cancer care.

Regulatory Landscape and Reimbursement Scenario

The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM, Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte) is the primary regulating body in Germany for pharmaceuticals. The main goal of BfArM is to protect public health in Germany by guaranteeing the efficacy, safety, and quality of pharmaceuticals and medical equipment. BfArM reviews and grants marketing authorizations for new drugs and medical devices for ensuring strict safety and efficacy requirements. Clinical trials carried out in Germany are also supervised to ensure they follow ethical principles and protect the rights of study participants.

For approval, 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, BfArM acts as a national competent authority (NCA) within the EMA framework. It 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 majority of people in Germany are covered by statutory health insurance (SHI), which is based on the social insurance model of healthcare delivery. A wide range of services are covered by statutory health insurance (SHI), including hospital stays, doctor visits, specialist consultations, preventive care, and rehabilitation. Employer and employee contributions provide the funding for SHI. Some people have the option of purchasing private health insurance (PHI), which has lower co-payments and more comprehensive coverage than SHI.

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

Here are some of the major key players in the Germany Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market:

• Nestlé Health Science
• Abbott Nutrition
• Pfizer
• B. Braun Melsungen AG
• Fresenius Kabi
• Danone Nutrica
• Baxter International Inc.
• Victus Inc.
• Mead Johnson Nutrition
• Aymes