Anatomic Pathology Equipment and Consumables Global Market Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Growth and Change

Major players in the anatomical pathology equipment and consumables market are Epridea, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sakura Finetek, Agilent Technologies, Danaher Corporation, Bio SB, BioGenex Laboratories, and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.

The global anatomic pathology equipment and consumables market is expected to decline from $17.26 billion in 2019 to $16.47 billion in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -4.58%. The decline is mainly due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has led to restrictive containment measures involving social distancing, remote working, and the closure of industries and other commercial activities resulting in operational challenges. The entire supply chain has been disrupted, impacting the market negatively. The market is then expected to recover and reach $21.03 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 8.5%.

The anatomical pathology equipment and consumables market consists of sales of anatomical pathology equipment and consumables and related services by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that manufacture anatomical pathology equipment and consumables to diagnose diseases. Anatomic pathology is a branch of science in which the diagnosis of the disease is carried out by examining tissues and organs at a molecular, biochemical, and microscopic level.

North America was the largest region in the anatomic pathology equipment and consumables market in 2019. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.

In June 2019, PHC Holdings Corporation acquired the anatomical pathology business of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc for $1.14 billion. The acquired anatomical pathology business is expected to work as a new self-governing business named Epredia that will proceed to work as a leading global provider of comprehensive solutions in the anatomical pathology field, including instruments, consumables, and microscope slides.

The anatomic pathology equipment market and consumables market covered in this report is segmented by products & services into instruments; consumables; services, by application into disease diagnosis; cancer; other diseases; medical research and by end-use into hospital laboratories; clinical laboratories; others.

The shortage of skilled professionals in clinical and diagnostic laboratories is hindering the anatomical pathology equipment and consumables market. Anatomic pathology testing requires specialized skillsets relating to life sciences, pharmaceuticals, electronics and software. These skillsets are available to a limited number of organizations, most of which are located in the USA and Europe. Lack of trained manpower capable of performing molecular biology experiments and interpreting the results is a major limitation in the testing and confinement of anatomic pathology equipment in developing countries. For the few laboratory experts present in these countries, priority is given to other medical emergencies such as heart attacks and road accidents. This shortage of skilled labor is expected to be a significant deterrent to the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Companies in the anatomic pathology equipment and consumables market are increasingly investing in new technologies for better efficiency and reducing the time taken to conduct these tests. Companies such as Biogenex have developed automated staining technology such as Xmatrx and i6000 diagnostics for diverse laboratory needs. Xmatrx systems offer standardized processes from baking through final glass coverslip for staining and prevent cross-contamination and i6000 diagnostics is a high-throughput system for special staining of clinical samples in molecular pathology laboratories. The i6000 diagnostics possesses a staining capacity of 200 slides in 8 hours (60 slides in 3 hours).

The rising occurrence of chronic diseases such as cancer is expected to drive the demand for the anatomic pathology equipment and consumables market. According to the American Cancer Society, there were 1.7 million new cases and 0.6 million cancer deaths in 2019 in the USA. The four most common types of cancer worldwide are lung, prostate, bowel, and female breast cancer, accounting for 43% of all the new cancer cases. Therefore, the rise in cancer incidence rate globally is anticipated to boost the demand for anatomic pathology equipment and consumables market.