Acetaminophen Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Aiding in global pain relief - One of the most common reasons for a visit to primary care is pain relief.  Found in almost 600 medications, Acetaminophen is the commonly prescribed first line of treatment for most ailments and is preferred over steroids and other anti-inflammatory medications to alleviate pain. In the shortest duration, it will give immense relief to the patient, due to its analgesic and antipyretic properties. This medication is mostly not contradicted by most of the patients and has a fair safety and tolerability record. Especially in underdeveloped countries, where access to pain medication can be quite a challenge, patients put off the visit to the physician, leading to serious health issues, even in places where palliative care isn’t necessarily accessible, acetaminophen is available over-the-counter to provide extended pain relief. It is to be noted that the global population is rapidly aging, which establishes the dependence on pain-managing medication like acetaminophen for geriatrics, without experiencing adverse side effects like with opioids such as Morphine.

• Used in pediatric care - The use of acetaminophen has been widely approved for decades to treat aches and fevers, even in children, as long as the maximum dosage is 15mg/kg for a single dose. It is even used as a self-medication in nearly 74% of the cases.  Available in various formulations such as extended-release, oral disintegrating tablets, and suppositories, acetaminophen addresses common illnesses in children and alleviates discomfort. Acetaminophen may be used alone or in combination with other medications to treat the source of the problem. This reliance on acetaminophen is expected to drive its acetaminophen market upward in the coming years.
• Diversified applications - Only in the U.S., Acetaminophen is consumed by 60 million people weekly, due to its varied applications. Acetaminophen finds its importance even in postoperative care and is even considered pregnancy-safe. Its wide applications have given it a permanent spot in the healthcare industry due to its efficacy and negligible drug interactions. From treating musculoskeletal pain to dental aches, alongside the benefits of rapid absorption, the acetaminophen market is not only diversified but also scaling up to make room for more industry players and meet heightened demands.

Challenges

• Side effects of acetaminophen - Since acetaminophen is available over the counter, its unsupervised use leads to a plethora of problems. Certain conditions like allergies, liver issues, and kidney problems are amplified by its use. In many instances, patients, unaware of their pre-existing conditions turn to acetaminophen and experience the repercussions, leading to hospitalization. When not adhering to the dosage guidelines, the effects are counterintuitive which can be a setback for the acetaminophen market.

• High competition - The stiff competition from the already established industry players, alongside high market entry costs, can be detrimental to the market. Also, the various government regulations in the healthcare industry may impede the process of entering the acetaminophen market.