Japan Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market Analysis

Japan Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market Executive Summary

The Japan Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market was valued at $349.95 Mn in 2023 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 5.54% from 2023 to 2030, to $510.42 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 Japan Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market is driven by significant factors such as the increasing prevalence of cancer, increasing risk of malnutrition in oncology patients, and advancements in nutritional products. However, reimbursement policies, limited awareness, and challenges in implementation restrict the growth and potential of the market.

The major players of the Japan Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market are Nestlé Health Science, Abbott Nutrition, B. Braun Melsungen AG, MediFood, and Fresenius Kabi, among others.

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. Cancer as a cause of death has been constantly increasing in Japan and has become the leading cause of death. Accordingly, the number of cancer patients is increasing, and the cancer burden on society is becoming increasingly heavier. According to the WHO Global Cancer Observatory, the age standardized incidence rate for males and females were 309.8 and 234.2, 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.

Increasing risk of malnutrition in oncology patients: Malnutrition is a prevalent issue among cancer patients, caused by the disease itself and its treatment side effects such as reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, difficulty swallowing. As per the National Cancer Institute, 30% to 85% of cancer patients experience malnourishment during their treatment process. As the risk of malnutrition rises, there’s a corresponding increase in the demand for specialized nutritional support products and services. Thus, the demand increases the Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market.

Advancements in nutritional products: The advancements provide healthcare professionals with a wider range of tools to address the diverse needs of cancer patients. The market is witnessing a surge in the development of immuno-nutrition solutions tailored to bolster the immune system of cancer patients, potentially enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing complications. Incorporating nutrigenomics into clinical nutrition approaches allows for personalized dietary recommendations based on an individual’s genetic makeup, potentially optimizing treatment response and minimizing adverse effects. These developments in nutrition ultimately lead to an expansion in the Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market.

Market Restraints

Varied reimbursement policies: Reimbursement policies for nutritional support products like oral nutritional supplements (ONS) and enteral feeding formulas differ significantly across regions and even within healthcare systems. This can create access disparities for patients, particularly in areas with limited coverage or complex procedures for reimbursement. Thus, due to cost and reimbursement issues, the Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market might not grow to its full potential.

Limited Awareness: While awareness is increasing, not all healthcare professionals may fully understand the significance of clinical nutrition in cancer care. This can lead to underutilization of nutritional support services and a failure to identify patients who could benefit from them. Some patients might not be fully aware of the benefits of proper nutrition during cancer treatment and the available support options. Therefore, the limited awareness can prevent the Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market from growing.

Challenges in Implementation: The trend towards personalized nutrition plans requires adequate resources and support systems to effectively implement these plans for each patient after consideration of many factors. Also, seamlessly integrating clinical nutrition services into existing healthcare workflows can be challenging. This might require changes in practice patterns and fostering collaboration among different healthcare professionals. These changes in the healthcare structure can be hard to incorporate thus acting as a restraint for the Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market.

Regulatory Landscape and Reimbursement Scenario

The PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) is Japanese regulatory agency, working together with Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Their core purpose is to ensure the safety, quality, and efficacy of the pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the Japan.

The PMDA conducts thorough review and evaluation of the new drugs based on safety, quality, and efficacy seeking marketing authorization in Japan. This minimizes the risk of patients experiencing adverse effects from medications or faulty medical devices. The PMDA’s responsibility extends beyond granting market authorization and includes post-marketing surveillance for reporting any adverse drug reactions.  As a founding country, Japan is an important member in the development and application of ICH (International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use) guidelines. The PMDA regularly participates in ICH meetings and contributes to establishing harmonized standards for the pharmaceutical industry. Japanese pharmaceutical companies can expedite the registration of their products in Japan and other ICH member nations by following ICH rules. This makes it easier for innovative drugs to be marketed internationally more quickly.

The reimbursement system in Japan plays a crucial role in balancing access to care with affordability. The majority of Japanese citizens are covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI), a government-mandated insurance scheme. For inpatient and outpatient services at approved medical facilities, NHI reimburses a significant percentage of medical expenses. However, deductibles and copayments may be necessary based on the service, the patient’s age, and income. Government subsidies are provided for certain services, such long-term care and some chronic conditions, the government offers extra funding. In comparison to NHI, voluntary private insurance policies may provide more coverage and better reimbursement rates. These plans can pay for expenses that NHI does not cover, such as sophisticated procedures and diagnostics, shorter waiting times for some medical procedures, and individual hospital rooms.

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

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

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