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Viewing report
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Faecal Occult Blood Testing - UK and French Markets
Frost & Sullivan, Sep 2005
Increased Government Funding Aids the Fight against Colorectal Cancer
Across the United Kingdom, approximately 36,000 people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) every year, a condition that represents the second most common cause of death from cancer in the country as well as in France. In response to this growing concern, the Governments of the United Kingdom and France are investing in the prevention of CRC and the UK Government has allocated a budget of £37.5 million (approximately €55.0 million) to support the National Screening Programme set to be introduced in phases from April 2006. Likewise, the French Government, through the Caisse National d’Assurance Maladie, has pledged approximately €20.0 million to support 22 CRC screening pilot studies across the country. These funds are expected to prove invaluable in implementing infrastructure, training personnel and promoting awareness programmes’ to fight CRC.
This Frost & Sullivan research service is an analysis of faecal occult blood testing in the UK and French markets. It looks at emerging and innovative technologies produced by key industry participants and examines the business potential of the total industry in Europe, taking into account the industry dynamics and drivers in each country.
Screening Could Prove Crucial for Better Patient Management
Research has consistently demonstrated that CRC screening helps in reducing both the mortality and morbidity rates by facilitating earlier detection and more optimised treatments. As already observed in the breast cancer screening model, down-stream costs are likely to be reduced significantly and screening could also reduce the incidence of CRC by 15-20 per cent, thereby saving close to 1,200 lives each year in the United Kingdom alone. Hence, accepted by experts as a rule-in, rule-out primary screen, faecal occult blood tests (FOBTs) are playing a significant role in French pilot studies and are likely to be the principal screening tool in the National Screening Programme in the United Kingdom.
However, a key challenge that must be overcome, particularly in the United Kingdom, is making screening less intimidating to certain populations. At present, FOB testing appears to be less acceptable to particular sections of the society including men, younger people, those from materially deprived areas and certain ethnic sub-groups, such as those from the Indian subcontinent, says the analyst of this research service. Feedback, however, suggests that by raising awareness and educating people about the disease, such sub-populations may be more receptive to participating in future screening programmes.
Proactive Strategies Help Raise Disease Profile
As governments, medical bodies and charities battle to tackle CRC, screening - in combination with media campaigns - is helping raise awareness and the profile of the disease among sufferers and non-sufferers of all age groups. Consequently, an increase in the number of diagnoses is expected in the short term. In the medium term, people are likely to become more proactive about their health, especially bowel health. The focus of CRC healthcare is thereby likely to change from passive and reactive to more proactive. With improved understanding of the disease mechanism as well as the associated preventive measures, a significant decrease in mortality rates is anticipated in the long term, thus bringing relief to healthcare systems across Europe.
The UK market for FOBTs is yet in its nascent phase of market development and is highly concentrated as well as fiercely competitive, particularly the Guaiac FOBT (gFOBT), says the analyst. In France, testing/screening for CRC is less developed in comparison to the United Kingdom and together, both markets are highly underdeveloped and have only recently experienced any significant development in terms of increased test uptake.
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