Germany Home Infusion Therapy Market

Germany Home Infusion Therapy Market Executive Summary

The Germany Home Infusion Therapy market is at around $1316.1 Mn in 2023 and is projected to reach $2018.5 Mn in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period.

Home Infusion Therapy is a rapidly growing field in the healthcare, which allows patients to receive healthcare at home for certain acute and chronic conditions at home at a fraction of the cost of an inpatient stay. Home Infusion Therapy refers to the administration of drugs to patients in an efficient and effective method in their respective homes rather than in clinics or hospitals. The various therapies include, but are not limited to, IV and subcutaneous administration of various anti-infective drugs, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), inotropes, hydration, immunoglobulins, and immunomodulating agents. Home infusion therapy offers a safe and comfortable alternative compared to the in-patient services, which allows the patients to maintain normalcy in their daily routines. Although there are no strict rules guiding who can and who cannot receive home infusion therapy, there are certain requirements to ensure the patient safety and treatment efficacy. The two most basic equipment necessary for the home infusion therapy are the vascular access device through which a drug enters the bloodstream and the infusion device which is used for controlling the rate of an infusion. To qualify for home infusion, patients must be discharged home with a vascular access device (VAD) which allows for the administration of intravenous medications. These devices include peripheral venous catheters (PVCs), midlines, and central venous catheters (CVCs) such as peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and ports. Certain medications which do not require intravenous access are administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly, for which the home infusion companies provide the necessary equipments and devices. The right infusion device usually depends on four factors, being medication stability, dosing regimen, cost, and patient preference. Overall, home infusion therapy represents a significant advancement in healthcare delivery. It enhances the patients’ treatment and medication compliance and improves their quality of life.

There is a rising incidence and prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases which are having a significant impact on the healthcare sector in the country. Therefore, the Germany Home Infusion Therapy Market is driven by significant factors such as the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, expanding geriatric population, and technological advancements. However, uncertain reimbursement policies, limited availability of nurses, and infrastructure and accessibility issues restrict the growth and potential of the market.

The major players of the Germany Home Infusion Therapy Market are Option Care Health, Baxter International, ICU Medical (Smiths Medical), Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), and Fresenius Kabi, among others. Fresenius Kabi manufactures and distributes a wide range of products used in infusion therapy, including IV solutions and medications, infusion pumps and related devices, catheters and administration set, and nutritional products for parenteral nutrition.

Market Dynamics

Market Growth Drivers

Rising Prevalence of Chronic Diseases: Germany’s epidemiologic transition towards chronic diseases is significantly affecting its society as a whole and the health system in particular. For instance, the age standardized incidence rates of cancer among males and females were 306.5 and 249.0, respectively, according to the WHO in the year 2022. Home infusion is a safe and effective method to manage these chronic conditions as it is convenient which leads to improved patient adherence and treatment outcomes. For example, chemotherapy medications can be safely given to cancer patients at home, which lowers hospital stays and enhances patient comfort while receiving treatment. For patients with extensive diabetes care needs, insulin or other drugs can also be administered at home by infusion. Consequently, there is an increasing need for novel and efficient treatment approaches due to the increased prevalence of chronic illnesses. Because of its affordability, flexibility to different chronic conditions, and ease of use, home infusion therapy is becoming more and more popular as a means of managing chronic illnesses and enhancing patient quality of life, which is driving the market’s overall expansion.

Expanding Geriatric Population:  A key feature of demographic trends in Germany is the rapid rate at which the older population is growing. As people age, they get more prone to long-term illnesses including diabetes, heart failure, and autoimmune disorders as they age. Many times, these illnesses necessitate long-term care using drugs that may be efficiently administered at home via infusion therapy. Moreover, the aging population is marked by a decline in mobility, which makes regular hospital visits difficult. A practical substitute is home infusion therapy, which enables patients to receive treatment in the comfort of their own homes, enhancing their quality of life and lessening the strain on caregivers. Furthermore, hospital environments can raise the risk of infection for older persons, who are more vulnerable to illnesses. However, home infusion therapy can improve patient outcomes by lowering the chance of contracting infections acquired outside of a hospital. The market for home infusion therapy is ultimately driven by the number of potential patients who may need it to manage chronic diseases, which is generally increased with the aging population.

Technological advancements: The Home Infusion Therapy Market is expected to grow at a high rate due to the numerous advantages that technological advancements provide. Patients can move around more freely and independently while receiving therapy because of the smaller, lighter, and more user-friendly designs of more recent portable pump models. In order to improve safety and convenience, real-time data transfer from infusion pumps to healthcare providers allows for remote monitoring of medicine distribution and patient vitals. Automated dose calculations, preprogrammed reminders, and malfunction alarms are just a few of the features that smart infusion pumps provide to increase medication accuracy and lower error rates. These technical developments result in better patient acceptance, a wider range of treatments, greater efficiency for medical professionals, and lower costs, all of which raise demand and fuel the market for home infusion therapy.

Market Restraints

Uncertain Reimbursement Policies: The varied and unclear reimbursement policies from private insurance companies and the government can limit patient access to home infusion therapy. Even though, home infusion therapy is much more affordable to patients rather than receiving in-patient care, there can be high costs associated with certain speciality infusion therapies. These high costs associated with specialty infusion treatment may discourage patients, especially those without adequate insurance coverage. Due to this, the Home Infusion Therapy Market gets affected as it faces resistance from the patients.

Limited Availability of Nurses: One of the major challenges of home infusion therapy is the shortage of trained nurses which results in fewer people being able to receive care at home and lengthier wait times. Prolonged wait times eventually prevents patients from using home infusion therapy and choose an alternative treatment. To attract and retain qualified healthcare professions, providers of home infusion therapy may need to offer higher salaries. This increases the operating expenses, which leads to overall high cost of the treatment, further restricting the market access. Thus, the market for home infusion therapy is constrained by a lack of competent workers which ultimately slows the market growth.

Infrastructure and Accessibility Issues: In isolated or rural places, the availability of home infusion therapy services may be restricted. Patients who do not have access to qualified clinicians and necessary equipment for the home infusion therapy suffer. Additionally, the growth of home infusion therapy in some areas may not have sufficient cold chain logistics for the storage and transportation of temperature-sensitive drugs. As a result, this impacts the expansion of the home infusion therapy market as a whole.

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 Home Infusion Therapy Market:

• Option Care Health
• Baxter International
• ICU Medical (Smiths Medical)
• Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD)
• Fresenius Kabi
• Medtronic
• IVX Health
• B. Braun Melsungen AG
• Terumo Corporation
• CareFusion Corporation