Our Markets
As the patient population rises each year, it is increasingly vital to seek technical solutions to manage this growing demand. The expanding market, driven by an aging population and modern lifestyle changes, underscores the need for advanced equipment and technology to enhance patient care. Unfortunately, many types of supporting equipment have remained stagnant for decades, hindering progress. By investing in innovative technology, healthcare providers can improve patient outcomes and maintain a competitive edge in the industry.
Market Research
In the USA, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 60-70 million people are affected by digestive diseases. Chronic conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and celiac disease are increasingly prevalent across the country. The economic impact of these digestive diseases is substantial, with an estimated cost of $136 billion in both direct and indirect expenses.
In Europe, digestive diseases present a similarly critical public health challenge. According to United European Gastroenterology (UEG), over 300 million people across Europe and the Mediterranean region suffer from digestive disorders. Conditions such as GERD, IBD, and celiac disease are widespread, with Europe recording some of the highest prevalence rates of IBD globally. The economic footprint is equally heavy: inpatient healthcare expenses alone account for tens of billions of euros annually, with broader indirect costs such as lost workplace productivity due to premature mortality and chronic disability adding tens of billions more to the regional economy.
In Brazil and South America, digestive diseases represent a rapidly growing crisis driven by swift urbanization, dietary shifts, and environmental changes. In Brazil alone, it is estimated that over 50 million people suffer from chronic digestive conditions such as GERD, IBS, and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Across the South American continent as a whole, the affected population exceeds 100 million individuals. While conditions like IBD and GERD were historically less common in the region, their incidence has climbed steeply in recent years. This high disease burden exerts a massive financial strain on Brazil's public healthcare system (SUS) and surrounding economies through increased medical visits, hospitalizations, and substantial workforce productivity losses.
Global Digestive Disease Burden & Workforce Crisis
1. United States
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Prevalence & Economic Impact: An estimated 60 to 70 million Americans are affected by chronic digestive conditions such as IBD, GERD, and celiac disease creating a massive economic footprint of $136 billion annually in direct and indirect expenses.
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Workforce & Shortage Strain: Served by roughly 19,400 active gastroenterologists handling ~51 million annual endoscopic procedures, the U.S. faces a structural deficit projected in the hundreds to over a thousand specialists. Furthermore, two-thirds of U.S. counties lack a local gastroenterologist, forcing ~50 million citizens to travel long distances for specialized care.
2. Europe
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Prevalence & Economic Impact: Over 300 million people across Europe and the Mediterranean suffer from digestive disorders, featuring some of the highest global prevalence rates for IBD. The economic toll involves tens of billions of euros annually in inpatient care, compounded by massive indirect costs from lost workplace productivity and chronic disability.
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Workforce & Shortage Strain: Gastroenterology is officially classified as a shortage occupation in over 20 European nations. Driven by an aging specialist workforce where over 40% of doctors are 50 or older the region faces an impending retirement wave, severe gaps, and lengthy wait times for endoscopies against a mounting patient population.
3. Brazil and South America
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Prevalence & Economic Impact: Driven by urbanization and lifestyle shifts, chronic digestive conditions affect over 50 million people in Brazil alone and more than 100 million across the South American continent. This soaring disease burden places severe financial strain on public networks like Brazil's SUS through hospitalizations and productivity losses.
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Workforce & Shortage Strain: Brazil has only 4,000 to 5,000 registered gastroenterologists for over 215 million residents. While major urban hubs (São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Bogotá) maintain adequate density, regional networks suffer severe specialist deficits. Over 80% of specialists are concentrated in big cities, creating "medical deserts" that leave tens of millions in rural and semi-urban areas with virtually zero direct access to local gastroenterological care.