UK Home Infusion Therapy Market

UK Home Infusion Therapy Market Executive Summary

The UK Home Infusion Therapy market is at around $935 Mn in 2023 and is projected to reach $1415.1 Mn in 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period.

Home infusion involves the administration of a medication through a needle or catheter at a patient’s home instead of a hospital or other medical facility. For individuals requiring long-term therapy, inpatient care is not only tremendously expensive but also prevents the individual from resuming normal lifestyle and work activities. Home infusion is a safe and effective alternative to inpatient care for a variety of therapies and disease states, both acute and chronic. Conditions commonly requiring infusion therapy include infections that are unresponsive to oral antibiotics, cancer and cancer-related pain, dehydration, gastrointestinal diseases or disorders which prevent normal functioning of the gastrointestinal system, immune system diseases (Crohn’s Disease, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis) and more. Some infusion treatments require infusions every day, while others may be less frequent such as every few weeks or months. Usually, for the majority of patients and drugs, home infusion is safe. However, home infusion clinicians will evaluate a patient’s suitability for home infusion throughout the intake phase. The evaluation aspects include the safety of the home environment, safety of the medication delivery method, capability to learn and self-manage for patients and/or caregivers, and the capability to store medications. Thus, nurses play a crucial role in home infusion therapy as they train patients and caregivers on how to safely administer the medication, monitor for side effects, and provide ongoing support. Moreover, coordination between a number of parties is usually necessary for the home infusion procedure, including patients, doctors, hospital discharge planners, health plans, home infusion pharmacies, and, home health organizations.

Given the prevalence of the four most common chronic diseases which include allergy, high blood pressure, low back disorder, and depression, there is a significant burden on the healthcare sector in the UK. Therefore, the UK 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 UK Home Infusion Therapy Market are Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), Baxter International, ICU Medical (Smiths Medical), 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: UK’s epidemiologic transition towards chronic diseases is significantly affecting its society as a whole and the health system in particular. Allergy is the most common chronic health condition in both men and women with a prevalence rate of 30.4% and 36.0%, respectively. 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: In the last 40 years, the number of people aged 50 and over has increased by over 6.8 Mn (a 47% increase), and the number aged 65 and over has increased by over 3.5 Mn (a 52% increase) in UK. 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. When compared to conventional intravenous infusion techniques, wearable infusion devices provide patients more flexibility and comfort by enabling continuous or long-term drug delivery subcutaneously. Improved insertion methods, a lower risk of infection, and longer wear periods are all provided by advanced catheter technologies, which increase patient comfort and treatment compliance. 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 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 Home Infusion Therapy Market:

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