Top Global Health Trends – Euromonitor.com

The health sector has never been as dynamic as it is today. Health awareness is increasing every day, encouraging consumers to be healthier and more active to achieve a longer life expectancy. Consumers are also looking for the most efficient and effective personalized therapies developed using genomic data collection and other medical knowledge and technologies. In addition, health service providers and drug manufacturers are about to evolve. Supply chain transformation, product innovation and the Pharma 4.0 environment are changing the face of the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. Meanwhile, in the form of telehealth and health apps, consumer health technology is introducing another channel for preventive health and making health care more convenient and accessible. Finally, all are surrounded by the trend of sustainable development, which seeks to minimize the negative impacts of the health sector on the environment. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. So please find the top five global healthcare trends in the charts below.

Changing health behaviors

While lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and cancer remain among the leading causes of death worldwide, the wellness movement and changing consumer health behaviors are at the forefront. heart of consumer health trends. In 2021, according to Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition survey, nearly 47% of respondents said they were trying to cut down or stop drinking alcohol (compared to 41% in 2019 ), 39% of respondents said they planned to cut down on or stop smoking cigarettes (32% in 2019), while 64% of respondents engage in physical activity at least once a week (59% in 2019) . Consumers also want to improve their diet, mainly by drinking more water, eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and reducing their sugar intake.

^{Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition Survey, 2021 n=14,173}

Personalization of health care

Personalized healthcare has become increasingly attractive to consumers around the world. More than 52% of respondents in Asia-Pacific, 44% in North America and 47% in Europe in 2021 said they want products and services tailored to them. Arguably more effective than traditional medicine, personalized medicine is set to overwhelm healthcare systems in the medium to long term. Consumer shift away from “one size fits all” in healthcare will be driven by the growing prevalence of chronic diseases and the ability of personalized medicine to more effectively assess, prevent, detect, diagnose, treat or manage these diseases.

^{Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Lifestyle Survey, 2021, n: 40,732}

Evolution of Healthcare Manufacturing

Supply chain transformation, product innovation and Pharma 4.0 are changing the face of drug manufacturing. Government efforts to improve supply chain resilience are driving the localization of production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), finished pharmaceutical products (FPPs), and critical medical devices. In addition, innovative high value-added treatments, particularly in oncology, immunology, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, are experiencing growing demand alongside aging affluent populations and the growing prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases. Finally, Pharma 4.0 is expanding with Industry 4.0 and integrated manufacturing systems and flexible IT infrastructure. As a result, the pharmaceutical industry is increasingly increasing its spending on ICT products. For example, from 2011 to 2021, Chinese pharmaceutical companies increased their spending on ICT goods and services by 112%. The same was true for pharmaceutical companies in the UK (by 99% over the period 2011-2021), Germany (47%) and France (34%).

^{Source: Euromonitor International based on national statistics}

The new normal in digital healthcare

Digital healthcare is a natural complement to the holistic wellness movement. Growing adoption of digital devices and hence greater connectivity, growing consideration of preventative health and personal care, and the overall convenience and immediacy of telehealth are attracting consumers, increasing the use of e-commerce and mobile commerce products. Thus, in 2021, 58% of global consumers felt comfortable using a health application to make an appointment with a healthcare professional (compared to 55% in 2020), 44% were comfortable receiving medical advice online or via an app (40%), and 42% were comfortable seeing a therapist online or via an app (39%).

^{Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition Survey, 2021 n=14,173}

Making healthcare more sustainable

The negative environmental impact of the healthcare sector has increased due to increased energy consumption, disposal of toxic chemicals, greenhouse gas emissions, waste and sewage. Yet, with changing consumer perceptions, the sector is striving to become more sustainable. For example, the medical equipment segment is witnessing a shift in the single-use disposable (SUD) model, rapidly moving towards the production of more durable and reusable items and the increasing use of reprocessed devices. Additionally, using greener materials and 3D printing as an alternative to manufacturing are other strategies healthcare is employing to become more sustainable.

^{Source: Euromonitor International Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition Survey, 2022}