Market Trends of Over-the-counter (OTC) Analgesics Industry
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) Segment is Expected to Have the Major Share in the Market over the Forecast Period
NSAIDs work to reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting enzymes called cyclooxygenases (COX). By inhibiting COX, NSAIDs help prevent and/or reduce pain and inflammation. OTC NSAIDs are available as creams and gels for topical use, and a few are available as oral formulations. However, topical use may be safer than the pill form. The NSAIDs segment is expected to have a significant share in the market due to its widespread availability, the rising burden of chronic pain and inflammation cases, and increasing research funding for pain and its management.
NSAIDs are also used broadly for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis. They are preferred over other drugs because they are inexpensive, and they help manage chronic pain, inflammation, and swelling that are characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. Hence, the high burden of these inflammatory diseases increases the demand for OTC NSAIDs, which is anticipated to propel the market's growth.
For instance, according to the study report published by the American College of Rheumatology in November 2022, approximately 12% of patients with chronic back pain in the care of chiropractic clinics had undiagnosed axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), in which non-radiographic axSpA was the most common form of the disease. This shows the high burden of patients with chronic back pain, which increases the need for OTC analgesics. This is expected to have significant growth in the market.
Furthermore, the new approvals and launches of NSAIDs increase the availability of these products in the market, which is likely to haave significant growth in the market. For instance, in March 2023, Perrigo Company PLC received the final approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for acetaminophen and ibuprofen tablets for multiple pain-related symptoms. These kinds of new approvals and launches increase the availability of NSAIDs, which is expected to boost the market's growth over the forecast period.
North America is Expected to Witness Significant Growth over the Forecast Period
North America is expected to have a significant impact on the market owing to factors such growing prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases and sports-related injuries, coupled with the adoption of self-medication to relieve the symptoms and an increase in approval and launch of OTC drugs. These factors are expected to drive the growth of the market in the region.
For instance, according to the report published by the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study in August 2022, 4,998 injuries were reported in the academic year 2021/22 in the United States, with an injury incidence of 2.02 injuries per 1,000 athletes exposures in 20 sports. In addition, there was an increase in the rate of boys' wrestling competition injuries from 3.2 per 1,000 athlete exposures in 2020/2021 to 5.5 per 1,000 athlete exposures in the 2021/22 academic year. This shows the increasing number of sport-related injuries, which is likely to increase the demand for OTC analgesics for pain management. This is expected to have a significant impact on the market over the study period.
Furthermore, product approvals by the regulatory authority increase the availability of new and effective OTC products, which is expected to drive the growth of the market studied. For instance, in April 2022, Genexa launched the first-ever clean acetaminophen pain relief product for adults. Similarly, in August 2022, Haleon introduced Advil PLUS acetaminophen to Canadians, combining two trusted pain relievers into one convenient tablet. It is available over the counter at pharmacies, grocery stores, and retailers across Canada and online. These product launches offer a forward-thinking approach that catalyzes the entire consumer pharmaceutical industry. This is expected to result in significant growth of the market throughout the region.
