Market Trends of Paracetamol Industry
Cold and Cough Segment is Dominating the Paracetamol Market
Many different types of viruses can cause a common cold. The condition is generally harmless, and symptoms usually resolve within two weeks. Consumers depend on OTC cough medicines as a first response to get relief from cough symptoms. Owing to the ease of procurement, the sale of paracetamol drugs for cough, cold, and flu has increased, particularly in highly emerging markets such as India and China. Moreover, the rising population suffering from pain and fever and growing awareness also serve as primary drivers for market growth.
Moreover, the increased production of paracetamol through local market players and initiatives to encourage availability is expected to drive segment growth over the forecast period. For instance, in June 2021, SEQENS officially launched the project to build a new paracetamol production unit in partnership with Sanofi and UPSA and with the support of the France Reliance program. It also reported that the unit will have a capacity of production of 10,000 tonnes of paracetamol per year. Additionally, painkillers such as acetaminophen (paracetamol) can relieve cold-related symptoms such as headaches, earaches, and joint pain. These painkillers can also lower a fever. The approval of such drugs by the regulatory authority is also propelling the growth of the segment. For instance, in February 2020, GlaxoSmithKline received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration for Advil Dual Action with Acetaminophen as an over-the-counter (OTC) product for pain relief.
Thus, owing to the abovementioned factors, the market segment is expected to show growth over the forecast period.
North America Dominates the Market and Expected to do Same in the Forecast Period
North America is expected to dominate the overall paracetamol market throughout the forecast period. The market's growth is due to factors such as the presence of key players, the high prevalence of fever, headaches, and migraines in the region, and the established healthcare infrastructure, which are some of the key factors responsible for its large share of the market. The market growth in the United States is expected to be robust during the forecast period. According to the American Migraine Foundation, January 2021 article, there are more than 4 million adults in the United States who experience chronic daily migraine, with at least 15 headache days per month. As per the statistics, the increasing patient pool and increasing disposable revenue in this country are expected to boost the market's growth in the country.
Furthermore, beneficial government initiatives for research are some of the drivers expected to increase the market growth. For instance, according to the May 2022 update from the National Institute of Health, the government of the United States spent USD 689 million in 2020 and USD 725 million in 2021 for research on chronic pain. Since paracetamol is largely used as a pain killer, increasing research on chronic pain is expected to boost the growth of the market.
Additionally, in November 2021, the US FDA accepted the NDA for Maxigesic IV by Hyloris Pharmaceuticals SA. It is a unique combination of 1000 mg paracetamol and 300mg ibuprofen solution for infusion for the treatment of postoperative pain. Such application acceptance by the regulatory authorities may lead to the entrance of new products into the market in the future.
Thus, owing to the abovementioned factors, the market is expected to show growth in the North American region.
