Saudi Arabia In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Analysis

The Saudi Arabia In-vitro Diagnostics Market size is expected to grow from USD 668.64 million in 2023 to USD 800.29 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 3.66% during the forecast period.

In the initial days of the pandemic, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was in lockdown and implemented travel restrictions along with specific stringent guidelines for the postponement of non-essential medical procedures. This led to a decline in medical diagnoses during the initial pandemic days. However, increasing investment in research and development for rapid diagnostics of COVID-19 symptoms and the increase in the number of COVID-19 patients fueled the diagnostics requirements in several settings. This fueled the market growth significantly during the pandemic in Saudi Arabia. For instance, according to a report published by World Health Organisation in February 2021, the total number of COVID-19 tests during a single week in February 2021 in Saudi Arabia was 13,463,804. This high volume of tests during the pandemic to detect COVID-19 significantly fueled the market's growth during the pandemic. However, with the decreasing cases of COVID-19 in the country, the demand for IVD devices is expected to be stabilized, thereby leading to stable growth in the market owing to diseases other than COVID-19.

The high burden of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases is expected to be a significant driving factor for the in-vitro diagnostics market in Saudi Arabia. Because of the country's rising burden of chronic diseases, the demand for in-vitro diagnostic products is projected to increase for the early and accurate diagnosis of a range of diseases, thereby driving growth in the studied market over the forecast period. For instance, according to a report by the World Bank, the reported cases of tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia in 2021 was 8.2 per 100,000 people, an increase of 5.1% compared to the previous year. Further, as per the 2021 report of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the burden of diabetes in Saudi Arabia is expected to increase from 4.3 million in 2021 to 7.5 million by 2045. This significant rise in the patient population is fueling the demand for precise in-vitro diagnostic products and driving the market.

Likewise, the market for in-vitro diagnostic testing is experiencing growth due to the rise in funding for molecular diagnostics, clinical diagnostics, and other early disease detection initiatives by both government and private organizations. This has led to the advancements of various diagnostic tests, increasing their acceptance among the general population and promoting market growth. For instance, in April 2021, the Saudi Foundation launched a new research fund to address the threat of infectious illnesses around the globe. This increased funding for early diagnosis is boosting the patient preference for molecular diagnostics to address the threats from infectious diseases.

Also, an increasing number of awareness campaigns on early disease diagnosis enhance the knowledge of the disease and fuel the adoption of advanced disease diagnosis options like in-vitro diagnostic testing. For instance, according to an article published by Arab News in October 2022, Al-Qassim Health Cluster launched a breast cancer awareness campaign, "Qassim is Rosary," in Saudi Arabia in October to increase the knowledge on breast cancer and ways for early detection and treatment.

Hence, the rising disease burden, initiatives for research funding for early disease detection, and increasing awareness campaigns for critical disorders and their available diagnostic testing options drive the demand and adoption and, alternatively, foster market growth. However, uncertain reimbursement policies are expected to hinder market growth in Saudi Arabia.


Saudi Arabia In-Vitro Diagnostics Market Trends

Clinical Chemistry is Expected to Show Good Growth Over the Forecast Period

Clinical chemistry assays are a vital component of in-vitro diagnostic testing. These assays use various biochemical techniques to analyze bodily fluids such as blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid to determine the presence of specific substances such as electrolytes, enzymes, lipids, and hormones. Moreover, the advancements in clinical chemistry assays, such as automation, point-of-care testing, and the development of novel biomarkers, have increased the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of these assays, making them an essential tool for diagnosing and managing various medical conditions.

The factors like high incidences of several disease conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease; infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, malaria, and influenza; hormonal disorders, and others are driving the demand for the sampling of body fluids for precise diagnostics outcomes. This increases the adoption rate of clinical chemistry diagnostics and assay techniques and supports the segment's growth. For instance, as per the data published by Hindawi in April 2022, the estimated prevalence of anemia among the people in Makkah, a city in Saudi Arabia, was 38.7%, and it was more prevalent among the female population. Also, according to a research study published by MDPI in December 2022, the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among the general population of Saudi Arabia was 16.6%. This high prevalence of critical disorders is augmenting the adoption of several body fluid assay techniques and subsequently increasing the demand for clinical chemistry. With the recent technological advancements in assay systems and the increasing applications of biomarkers, the accuracy and yield of clinical chemistry-based diagnostic tests have improved.

Further, with the increasing initiatives by public and private organizations to develop the application of clinical chemistry, the segment is anticipated to hold a significant market share. For instance, in December 2021 Saudi Society for clinical chemistry organized the 3rd Internation Meeting Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine to widen the area of expertise in clinical chemistry. Thus, the abovementioned factors are expected to increase the segment's growth

Instrument Segment is Anticipated to have a Significant Market Share During the Study Period

Instruments play a crucial role in in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) as they enable the accurate and reliable analysis of biological samples such as blood, urine, and tissue samples. Some commonly used instruments in IVD diagnostics include analyzers, microscopes, polymerase chain reaction machines, flow cytometers, and mass spectrometers.

Increasing investment in Saudi Arabia's healthcare facilities by the Government and other private organizations is one of the prime factors for the significant contribution of the instrument segment in the market. Increasing investment by the Government is enhancing the advancement of healthcare infrastructure, resulting in many introductions of healthcare facilities in Saudi Arabia. This is fostering the adoption rate of advanced diagnostic equipment, such as in-vitro diagnostic instruments in Saudi Arabia, and supporting the growth of the devices. For instance, according to a report by International Trade Administration in July 2022, the Saudi Arabian Government planned to spend USD 36.8 million on healthcare and social development. Also, according to the same source, it was mentioned that as part of Vision 2030, the Saudi Arabian Government intends to allocate more than USD 65 billion towards enhancing the country's healthcare infrastructure. Furthermore, it plans to raise the private sector's involvement from 40% to 65% by 2030, to privatize 290 hospitals and 2,300 primary health centers.

Also, according to the above source, the Saudi Arabia government is encouraging local medical instrument manufacturers by offering financial incentives to manufacture high-value medical products. This includes various instruments, including Covid-19 testing kits, diagnostic equipment, and electro-medical equipment. This also results in the higher availability of in-vitro diagnostic equipment, hence increasing adoption.

Thus, the increased investment in the healthcare infrastructure, the privatization of hospitals and primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia, and the increased focus on local manufacturing of medical instruments are fueling the demand and adoption of advanced in-vitro diagnostic instruments and supporting segmental growth.


Saudi Arabia In-Vitro Diagnostics Industry Overview

The market for in-vitro diagnostics in Saudi Arabia is moderately competitive, and major global players are actively present in the country. This allows high product availability in Saudi Arabia. Some of the key market players in the in-vitro diagnostics market in Saudi Arabia are Abbott, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Siemens Healthineers, Becton, Dickinson, and Company, among others.


Saudi Arabia In-Vitro Diagnostics Market News

  • April 2023: Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Group (HMG) invested USD 1.73 billion to build six hospitals in Saudi Arabia with state-of-the-art medical facilities and innovative healthcare services. This will help to drive the demand for advanced diagnostic technology, such as in-vitro diagnostic devices in newly formed hospitals.
  • November 2022: Cairo - Integrated Diagnostics Holdings (IDH) entered into a joint venture with Al Makhbaryoun Al Arab (Biolab) and Izhoor Holding Medical Company (Izhoor) to launch a new diagnostic venture in Saudi Arabia. This revolutionized the diagnostic platform of Saudi Arabia through the technological advancement of diagnostic procedures.
  • October 2021: Noor DX launched a new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) developed COVID-19 test kit in Saudi Arabia to diagnose COVID-19 symptoms precisely.

Saudi Arabia In-Vitro Diagnostics Industry Segmentation

As per the scope of this report, in-vitro diagnostics refers to medical tests and procedures that analyze samples of tissues, blood, urine, and other bodily fluids to diagnose diseases, infections, or other medical conditions. These tests are performed outside the body in a laboratory setting, with the sample taken from the patient being analyzed in a controlled environment. The Saudi Arabia In-vitro Diagnostics Market is Segmented by Test Type (Clinical Chemistry, Molecular Diagnostics, Immuno Diagnostics, Haematology, and Other Types), Product (Instrument, Reagent, Other Product), Usability ( Disposable IVD Device and Reusable IVD Device), Application (Infectious Disease, Diabetes, Cancer/Oncology, Cardiology, and Other Applications), and End-User (Diagnostic Laboratories, Hospitals and Clinics, and Other End-users). The report offers the value (in USD) for the above segments.
  • By Test Type
    • Clinical Chemistry
    • Molecular Diagnostics
    • Immuno Diagnostics
    • Haematology
    • Other Types
  • By Product
    • Instrument
    • Reagent
    • Other Product
  • By Usability
    • Disposable IVD Device
    • Reusable IVD Device
  • By Application
    • Infectious Disease
    • Diabetes
    • Cancer/Oncology
    • Cardiology
    • Other Applications
  • By End-User
    • Diagnostic Laboratories
    • Hospitals and Clinics
    • Other End-users