UK Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market Analysis

UK Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market Executive Summary

The UK Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market was valued at $146.4 Mn in 2023 and is predicted to grow at a CAGR of 3.04% from 2023 to 2030, to $180.5 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 UK 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 major players of the UK Clinical Nutrition for Cancer Care Market are Baxter, Nestlé Health Science, Abbott Nutrition, Nutricia, and Fresenius Kabi, among others. Baxter offers a comprehensive portfolio of clinical nutrition solutions, including enteral feeding pumps, nutritional supplements, and premixed parenteral nutrition.

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 a report, there are currently more than 3 Mn people living with cancer in the UK, rising to 3.5 Mn by 2025, 4 Mn by 2030, and 5.3 Mn by 2040. Moreover, each year, around 167,000 people die from cancer in the UK, an average of 460 people every day. 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 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 UK 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 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the government authority of UK, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care. MHRA ensures that pharmaceuticals, blood components, advanced therapy medical products, and medical devices meet applicable standards of safety, quality, and efficacy. Its core responsibilities include overseeing UK notified bodies, regulating clinical trials, monitoring compliance for medicines and medical devices, and offering technical and regulatory advice for these products. Moreover, MHRA serves to protect the overall public health by promoting international standardization and harmonization.

The license or marketing authorization for new drugs is granted by the regulatory authority, i.e., MHRA after ensuring that the drug is safe, effective, and meets GMP requirements. The MHRA is responsible for granting license in England, Scotland, and Wales and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is responsible in Northern Ireland. Once the drug is granted a license, appraisal takes place before it is made available on the National Health Service (NHS). In England and Wales, this appraisal is carried out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in Scotland by Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), and in Northern Ireland by Department of Health (DoH).

The goal of the National Health Service (NHS), the UK’s tax-funded healthcare system, is to provide comprehensive healthcare services free at the point of access for its residents. Two primary methods of reimbursement exist: Primary Care and Secondary Care. Local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) are tasked for contracting with and compensating general practices for primary care services, such as doctor visits. For Secondary Care, NHS England oversees the funding of hospitals and specialized services centrally. Hospital reimbursement is determined by a national tariff system that establishes rates for particular medical services.

Competitive Landscape

Key Players

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

• Baxter
• Nestlé Health Science
• Abbott Nutrition
• Nutricia
• Pfizer
• Fresenius Kabi
• Danone Nutrica
• Victus Inc.
• Mead Johnson Nutrition
• Aymes