Neurological Devices

With high affliction rates of neurological disorders, India is an appealing market for global medical device makers. Major neurological device subcategories include:

• Neurostimulation devices such as implanted peripheral nerve stimulation systems, permanently implanted electrodes and spinal cord stimulation systems
• Neurodiagnostic and neurosurgical devices such as cerebral-spinal fluid shunts, neurosurgical lasers, endoscopes for brain and spinal cord and diagnostic electromyography devices
• Physical medicine and neurotherapeutic  devices such as bone growth stimulators, shockwave generators for pain relief and therapeutic infrared heat lamps

The global market for neurology devices is growing at about 10 percent annually and is forecasted to reach $7.2 billion by 2017. Industry estimates predict the Asia-Pacific region to have the highest growth rate of over 18 percent. Neurostimulation devices will remain the largest segment in the market with a value of $4.7 billion by 2017. The market is expected to be driven by the large patient pool suffering from neurological disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, migraines, Parkinson’s syndrome and chronic pain.

It is estimated that 30 million Indians suffer from serious neurological disorders a year. The most common include epilepsy at 6-8 million people, strokes at 1-2 million people and headaches at 10-12 million people. Furthermore, epilepsy is the biggest reported reason for neuropsychiatric mortalities. Stroke is among the top five leading causes of death in India and the World Health Organization reports 1.5 million cases annually, where at least one-third become disabled. By 2050, 80 percent of stroke cases in the world will occur in countries such as India and China. The statistics point towards a rising demand for neurologists and neurodiagnostic facilities in India.

As of 2014, India has 1,000 practicing neurosurgeons, up from only 200 in 1989. Several major health institutions in the country now have fully equipped neurosciences departments with “super specialists” in Neurology, Neurosurgery, Neuro Anesthesiology, Neuro Biochemistry, Neuro Pathology, Neuro Psychology and Neuro Radiology. NIMHANS, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, is a prominent facility with a partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Karnataka State Government and Government of India.
Key players in India’s neurological device market include Covidien, Medtronic, Stryker and W.L. Gore.