Market Trends of Global Newborn Screening Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Newborn Screening Market according to our research experts:
Dried Blood Spot Segment is Expected to Hold the Major Share in the Market Over the Forecast Period
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a massive demand for DBS newborn screening tests, which has led to the development of novel NBS tests during the pandemic. In July 2020, PerkinElmer Inc. launched a dry blood spot (DBS) based test for SARS-CoV-2 IgG using its GSP/DELFIA platform, enabling the processing of up to 5,000 samples per day. The DBS assay runs on PerkinElmer's GSP analyzer and, combined with the universal TRF (time-resolved fluorescence) of the DELFIA platform, screens more than 30% of all newborn babies worldwide, spanning 32 countries.
Dried blood spot tests (DBS) are expected to continue their domination during the forecast period. DBS sampling has been used to screen newborn babies for congenital metabolic diseases for over 50 years. The advantages of DBS sampling include minimal volume requirements (approximately 30 - 100 µL per spot), ease of sample attainment by finger or heel stick with minimal training required, and ease of transport and sample stability. Autism, lymphomas, leukemia, and many other metabolic conditions can be diagnosed through this test. Dried blood spot analysis offers the advantage of collecting a small sample volume, which can be easily transported. Thus, rising diseases in newborns are boosting market growth.
Additionally, few organizations and Academic institutes in the segment have been developing novel products and technologies to compete with the existing products. For instance, in March 2022, Oxford University initiated a population-based newborn screening study in the Thames valley. The screening will be done through the routine United Kingdom newborn blood spot screening pathway, using spare capacity from a newborn's Guthrie card (dried blood spot sample). Thus the factors mentioned above are expected to drive the growth of the studied segment during the forecast period.
North America Region is Expected Occupy Major Share in the Market Over the Forecast Period
The North American region is expected to hold a major share in the newborn screening market owing to the high burden of birth defects in the region, government policies, the presence of robust healthcare infrastructure, and new technological developments in newborn screening technology by the players based in the region. For instance, according to a research study published in April 2022, titled 'Association of Birth Defects with Child Mortality Before Age 14 Years', birth defects were strongly associated with mortality owing to circulatory, respiratory, and digestive causes and the finding raises the possibility that the role of birth abnormalities in mortality numbers may be understated. The study was conducted in Canada and as per the same source, birth defects such as heart problems, chromosomal anomalies, and central nervous system disorders all increased the chance of death by more than ten times, eight times, and seventeen times, respectively, and the risk of death was significantly higher between days 28 and 364 of life, however, it was also higher at other times. Hence the demand for newborn screening in the region is expected to increase over time and the market is expected to grow in the region.
In the North American region, the United States is anticipated to hold the largest market share. This can be attributed to the increasing incidence rates of disorders in newborns and the rising demand for advanced systems. In the United States, every newborn is screened post-birth, and this screening is performed by the analysis of diagnostic markers in blood spots collected on filter paper on the second day of an infant's life. Newborn screening programs are run on a state basis within the United States; therefore, it has been observed that there is a lack of uniformity among the testing panels of many states. For instance, according to the data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2022, about 3,613,647 new births were reported in the country, and the birth rate in the country 2022 was 11.0 per 1,000 population, and most of these birth in hospitals, thus, the screening is performed before babies' discharge. Further, the launch of new services and products in the region is expected to have a significant impact on the growth of the studied market. For instance, in June 2021, the Texas Health and Human Services launched newborn screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Therefore, due to the above-mentioned factors, the newborn screening market is expected to have a significant market share over the forecast period.
