Much of the pain and disfigurement that accompanies aging is concentrated in the bones and joints. While these disorders rarely are life-threatening, they extract an enormous toll in pain and disability, and affect a large percentage of the population. Not surprisingly, a multibillion dollar industry has grown up to ameliorate these bone and joint disorders.
Although it may not be intuitively obvious, the manufacturer of pain relievers and one that makes knee prostheses are competing for the same dollar. Most pain relievers are sold to arthritis sufferers. Almost no one wants a titanium and plastic knee or shoulder while the flesh and blood version still functions. It is only when the pain reliever quits working that a prosthesis becomes attractive. An even more obscure competition exists between those who make fracture fixation devices and those who supply drugs to prevent osteoporosis. The vast majority of bone fractures that require internal fixation occur in the elderly because the calcium has leached out of their bones. An effective osteoporosis drug would prevent most bone fractures and eliminate most of the market for fracture fixation devices, as well as a large part of the market for allograft bone and bone substitutes.
This BCC report deals with drugs, implants and devices used in orthopaedic industry. It discusses their strengths and weaknesses in light of new technologies, growing competition and changing customer needs.
The report contains:
- Analysis of the types of drugs, implants and devices used in orthopaedics
- Analysis of each technique with sales estimates and market projections through 2009
- A look at manufacturers, new products, and market share information
- Discussion of technological issues including the latest trends and developments
- Examination of government regulations
- Listings of approvals of orthopaedic drugs, devices and implants from 2000-2004
- Discussion of patents in the industry and their significance.
A comprehensive literature and patent search was conducted. Literature included technical newsletters and journals, as well as many other sources. Data was collected via interviews with and mail from various analytical, chemical, and pharmaceutical companies. This data was compiled, and the projections were based on such estimates as: the current number of end users, potential end users, likely unit prices, rates of consumption, and market trends.
BCC surveyed many companies to obtain the data for this study. Included were manufacturers and end users of orthopaedic products. Data was gathered from these industries, and officials/physicians were interviewed. Newsletters, company literature, product literature, a host of technical articles, journals, indexes, and abstracts were consulted. Exhaustive investigations of databases by key terminology were done. In addition, data was compiled from current financial and trade information, and government sources.
Shalini Shahani holds a Masters degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Among the research topics she has covered are: Studies on Compounds of Potential and Pharmaceutical Interest from Ibuprofen and 2-Naphthyl Acetic acid. Shahani was awarded a Gold medal by the Prime Minister of India for her work and has worked with top companies in India and in the U.S. Some of her other reports with BCC are "Reagents of Chromatography", "Spectroscopy, an Enduring Market" and "Advanced Drug Delivery Systems."
Report ID:PHM040A, Published: October 2004, Analyst: Shalini Shahani
