U.S. Bowie Dick Test Pack Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Application (Pharmaceutical & Medical Device Companies, Healthcare Facilities, and Others), and Country Forecast, 2023-2030

The U.S. bowie dick test pack market size was worth USD 61.3 million in 2022 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period. 

Bowie dick test pack works as a chemical indicator to check if there is any air that can contaminate the goods loaded in autoclaves or steam sterilizers. This practice of evaluating the performance of pre-vacuum sterilizers before loading any goods in the sterilizer chamber is carried out in almost all healthcare settings, such as laboratories, hospitals, and pharmaceutical & medical device companies. The growing need for sterilization in the healthcare industry to deliver high-quality treatment and services is anticipated to drive the demand for these products during the forecast period.

Moreover, prolonged hospital stays due to invasive surgeries or medical complications increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). In order to prevent and control this risk, healthcare facilities need sterilization monitoring products. Sterilization is a mandatory process that needs to be performed on a regular basis to prevent hospital-borne infections. This necessity is likely to fuel market growth during the forecast period.

• According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), healthcare-acquired infections account for 1.7 million infections and 99,000 associated deaths each year. 

The U.S. bowie dick test pack market reflected positive growth during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic due to a strong emphasis on following sterilization monitoring steps which accelerated the demand for sterilization and disinfectant products.

LATEST TRENDS

Introduction of Technologically Advanced Sterilization Monitoring Products

The U.S. market is expanding due to increasing technological advancements, the launch of new products, and the training of laboratory technicians, all of which are anticipated further to stimulate the U.S. market for bowie dick test pack. Technological advancement remains a constant feature and has been witnessed in sterilization monitoring products in recent years. A conventional method to check for successful vacuum creation and full steam penetration is through a chemical indicator sheet. In a bowie dick test pack, successful vacuum creation and full steam penetration are indicated by a uniform dark black color pattern. Conversely, an unsuccessful test cycle is indicated by no color change or partial color change. However, there are novel electronic devices available that perform this test cycle, utilizing temperature and pressure information to generate test results.

• For example, the electronic Bowie & Dick test of the WI SCAN System of Duomed is a reusable device that consists of a cylindrical detection chamber. The electronic Bowie & Dick test simplifies checks, eliminates paper support and optimizes costs due to the reader/software architecture installed in the WI SCAN System used for reading and archiving data.

DRIVING FACTORS

Mandatory Adherence to Regulatory Guidelines Regarding Sterilization to Propel Market Growth

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) established regulatory guidelines to use air removal tests in pre-vacuum autoclave sterilizers, adherence to which by healthcare manufacturing companies is must in the U.S. In order to follow these guidelines, healthcare facilities need to perform this test on a daily basis. In addition, healthcare facilities must adhere to sterilization protocols prior to any surgical procedure in order to reduce the risk of contamination and ensure a safe environment. This requirement for daily air removal tests is likely to drive the demand for bowie dick test packs.

The strong emphasis on following sterilization protocols by these organizations to reduce hospital-acquired infection rates is anticipated to drive the demand for sterilization monitoring products. This is expected to create an opportunity for this market to grow faster across the country.

RESTRAINING FACTORS

Noncompliance with Sterilization Standards May Hamper the Adoption Rate of the Bowie-Dick Test Pack

Lack of awareness and adherence to sterilization standards by healthcare facilities may limit the U.S. bowie dick test pack market growth. This can be attributed to the cost-cutting practices of local healthcare manufacturers. Despite established sterilization monitoring guidelines, this test lacks applicability in some hospitals and clinic settings, especially for equipment standardization. In addition to this, some of the healthcare professionals lack an understanding of the significance of carrying out this test. This results in a lack of adherence of these healthcare facilities toward following sterilization standards, which may impact demand for these bowie dick test packs at a certain level. This may also impact the patient's quality of life negatively.

• A research paper published by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2022 states that a lack of correct instrument sterilization has resulted in a post-operative infection rate of approximately 46%.

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1 in every 31 hospitalized patients in the U.S. acquires a hospital-acquired infection (HAI). This translates to approximately 633,300 patients contracting one of these infections annually.

SEGMENTATION

By Application Analysis

Based on application, the market is segmented into healthcare facilities, pharmaceutical & medical device companies, and others.

The pharmaceutical & medical device companies segment is likely to dominate the U.S. bowie dick test pack market share during the forecast period. The increasing number of pharmaceutical & medical device manufacturers with mandatory guidelines established by the government authorities to perform air removal tests before loading with an aim to control healthcare-acquired infection rate are some of the factors that are expected to contribute to the segment’s growth during the forecast period.

• According to an article published by Enterprise Apps Today, there are 2,655 pharma companies in the U.S. as of 2023, and this number was 2,466 in 2021.

KEY INDUSTRY PLAYERS

In terms of the competitive landscape, the U.S. market is dominated by some key players, such as Medline Industries, Inc., Getinge AB, Crosstex International, Inc., STERIS, and 3M. These companies together account for the majority of the market share. In addition, other prominent players in the market include Propper Manufacturing Co. Inc., Mesa Labs, Inc., Terragene, and PMS Healthcare Technologies.

Companies are aiming to strengthen their market position by increasing their product offerings. For example, the Lantor cube, a reusable bowie dick test pack (25 test sheets per pack), and SteriSense, the bowie dick test pack, are cost-effective alternatives to traditional products. These products are expected to increase their market share over the forecast period.

LIST OF KEY COMPANIES PROFILED:

• 3M (U.S.)


• STERIS (U.S.)


• Medline Industries, LP. (U.S.)


• Crosstex International, Inc. (U.S.)


• EDM3 Solutions (U.S.)


• Getinge (Sweden)


• Propper Manufacturing Co., Inc. (U.S.)


• Mesa Labs, Inc. (U.S.)


• Terragene (Argentina)


• PMS Healthcare Technologies (Turkey)

KEY INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS:

• October 2023: Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP acquired Ionisos to increase Ionisos’ sterilization capacity and diversify its technology mix.


• December 2021: Owens & Minor, Inc. acquired American Contract Systems (ACS), a provider of kitting and sterilization services for custom procedure tray (CPT) solutions.


• September 2021: Miclev AB partnered with a biological and chemical indicator manufacturer, Excelsior Scientific. This acquisition was made to strengthen Miclev AB’s portfolio in sterilization indicators.

REPORT COVERAGE

The U.S. bowie dick test pack market research report provides a detailed market analysis. It focuses on key aspects such as key industry developments, new product launches, and the impact of COVID-19 on the market. Besides this, the report also offers insights into the market trends and highlights key industry dynamics. In addition to the aforementioned factors, it encompasses several factors that have contributed to the market growth over recent years.

Report Scope & Segmentation