U.S. Markets for Drug and Fluid Delivery Devices

Pharmacotherapy represents the first-line treatment in the management of most chronic and transient medical conditions warranting therapeutic intervention in the United States (U.S.). To date, approximately 40,000 prescription drug products containing 2,700 active ingredients have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA); these products accounted for more than 70% of the national pharmaceutical usage in 2006. In the same year, U.S. pharmacies processed approximately 3.5 billion prescriptions, generating an estimated $275.0 billion in cumulative pharmaceutical sales and representing nearly 15% of the nation’s total healthcare spending.

This report covers the device-based drug delivery modalities that offer the best available combination of functional characteristics required for administration of effective pharmacologic therapy. The drug delivery technologies analyzed in this report include injection/infusion systems (e.g., syringes, pens, jet injectors, infusion pumps, and vascular access devices [VADs]); transdermal systems for cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS), hormone replacement therapy (HRT), pain management, and  urologic applications; and inhalation systems (e.g., metered dose inhalers [MDIs], dry powder inhalers [DPIs], and nebulizers) for the treatment of acute and chronic respiratory disorders as well as diabetes.