Drug of Abuse Testing Market Size & Share 2019 to 2025

Drug of Abuse Testing Market Size

Drug of Abuse Testing Market size surpassed USD 3.3 billion in 2018 and is projected to achieve over 5.7% CAGR up to 2025.
 

Drugs of abuse are chemicals that generally produce specific effects in the user’s brain, mainly in reward circuitry of brain. In general, drugs of abuse either produce good feelings or relieve bad feelings within seconds to minutes after administration. Drugs can be administered by various routes such as inhalation, oral ingestion, oral absorption, subcutaneous, intravenous or intramuscular injection, and others. Generally, drug tests do not detect drug use. Instead, drug tests identify specific drug classes or drugs in biological matrices that are represented in particular test panels. Drugs can be detected using any sample, the most common samples for usual testing purposes include blood, urine, hair, oral fluid, nails, breath and sweat.
 

Drug testing was widely used in the U.S. in 1950s in hospital emergency rooms to rapidly diagnose and treat patients with drug overdose. With the development of thin layer chromatography, testing for drugs of abuse with urine sample became feasible in large populations. In 1970s, the development of automated immunoassay technologies conducted in laboratories allowed large scale urine drug testing in the criminal justice system and addiction treatment. Immunoassay was the first drug testing technology to be automated. In 1980s, in context of the cocaine epidemic, drug testing became widespread in the civilian workforce to discourage drug use that could impair workforce safety and productivity.
 

Furthermore, in the 21st century, testing of drugs became increasingly widespread. The drug testing was added to alcohol testing for drivers arrested for being impaired and involved in serious accidents. Presently, testing for drugs of abuse in medical practice is rapidly growing in the area of pain management. This is majorly due to the increased use of opioids to treat chronic pain as well as morbidity and mortality related to the misuse of these drugs.
 

Drug of Abuse Testing Market Trends

Favourable regulatory scenario in developed economies for drug of abuse tests will propel the overall business demand. For instance, FDA regulates drugs of abuse tests that are sold to healthcare professionals and consumers in the U.S. Also, it reviews several tests to avoid inaccuracy in results, thereby accelerating the drug of abuse testing market growth. Evaluation of performance, design of tests and sample collection systems to ensure precise results further fosters huge demand for these tests and systems. Additionally, FDA also reviews the test instructions and package inserts to safeguard test specificity and accuracy. Hence, above mentioned aspects should augment the drug of abuse testing industry growth.
 

However, dearth of trained laboratory professionals may hinder the drug of abuse testing market growth over forthcoming years.
 

Drug of Abuse Testing Market Analysis

The product segment covers analyzers, rapid testing devices, and consumables. Analyzers segment will witness around 5.5% CAGR over the analysis period. Analyzers are further fragmented into breath, immunoassay and chromatographic analyzers. Increasing adoption of breath analysers for detecting drug consumption coupled with technological advancement will drive the segmental growth. The launch of technologically advanced devices including COBAS INTEGRA in the industry has improved patient’s convenience. Additionally, manufacturers are aiming at improving drug detection devices, as it provides precise and quick results in the minimum amount of time will positively impact the industry expansion.
 

Sample segment is divided into urine, saliva, hair and others. Urine segment accounted for over USD 1.1 billion in 2018. Urine test is considered as the most common form of alcohol and drug testing. It may be performed as part of pre-employment screening, especially for employees in certain occupations. Presently, urinalysis is the least invasive and legally acceptable form of drug testing. Urine test result shows the absence or presence of drug metabolites in a person’s urine. Drugs that are generally screened in a urine drug test include cocaine, marijuana, amphetamines, methamphetamines, opiates, and others. Quest Diagnostics, Alere, and CRL are some of the largest clinical testing laboratories in the U.S. that provides urine collection services for several major businesses globally.
 

End-use segment is classified into hospitals, forensic laboratories, diagnostic laboratories, law enforcement agencies and others. Forensic laboratories segment will witness around 5.7% revenue share in 2018. High revenue share is majorly due to forensic labs identify unknown illicit drugs, liquids or powder. The forensic tests are carried out using presumptive tests and confirmatory tests to determine the accurate identity of the drug substance. Additionally, confirmatory tests such as gas chromatography provides more specific results as compared to presumptive tests. Hence, various such advantages offered by forensic labs fosters the overall drug of abuse testing industry progress.
 

North America drug of abuse testing market will significantly show over 5.3% CAGR owing to rising consumption of drugs in the region. Regional growth can be attributed to strong presence of drug of abuse testing device companies along with progressing regulatory framework. Various federal government sources including regulations, guidances and public notices provides essential information on drug substances that favors public health. Additionally, periodic review of these test kits proves beneficial for the industry growth.
 

U.S. market accounted for over 0.9 billion in 2018. According to the WHO, drug overdose is one of the major causes of death that will surge huge demand for analyzers and rapid testing devices in the country. For instance, in 2017, around 70,237 deaths were accounted due to drug overdose in the U.S. Several such factors will thereby augment the market growth over the coming years. Thus, the U.S. government has established its own platform for hosting several drug of abuse challenges for better patient care.
 

Drug of Abuse Testing Market Share

Some of the prominent business players operating in drug of abuse testing market are :

• Siemens
• Beckman Coulter (Danaher)
• Drägerwerk
• Abbott Laboratories (Alere)
• F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd
• LabCorp of America Holdings
• Quest Diagnostics,
• Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Randox Testing Services
• United States Drug Testing Laboratories

These market players adopt numerous in-organic and organic growth strategies to sustain market competition and to gain significant market share.
 

Some of the recent industry developments:
 

• In August 2019, MedTest Dx, Inc. introduced a new product line of Clinitox Calibrators at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC), 2019. This enhanced the company’s product line to provide laboratories a customizable calibration and controls solution specifically intended for accuracy
   
• In January 2015, Oranoxis launched ToxWipe-Oral K2 and ToxStick K2 for on-site drug of abuse testing of cannabinoids. It is the first rapid test device that detects synthetic cannabinoids in oral fluid. Thus, this novel product launch enhanced the product portfolio of the firm
   

The drug of abuse testing market research report includes an in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD from 2014 to 2025, for the following segments:

By Product

• Analyzers
  • Breath analyzers
  • Immunoassay analyzers
  • Chromatographic analyzers
• Rapid testing devices
• Consumables

By Sample

• Urine
• Saliva
• Hair
• Others

By End-use

• Hospitals
• Forensic laboratories
• Diagnostic laboratories
• Law enforcement agencies
• Others

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • Germany
  • UK
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
• Asia Pacific
  • Japan
  • China
  • India
  • Australia
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
• Middle East Asia & Africa
  • South Africa
  • GCC Countries