COVID-19 Market Impact Assessment
Gynecology
Published on: 20 April 2020
Last updated on: 20 July 2020
DRG’s Medtech Insights (Part of Clarivate) is actively assessing the impact of COVID-19 on all therapy areas and incorporating the impact into reports. This piece contains some therapy-specific highlights based on currently available information.
Impact Assessment Summary
| Factors | Initial Effect | Expected 1yr Recovery | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Sales/Revenue | Moderate | Moderate | Top competitors have reported a negative impact on revenues and are implementing measures to cut expenses |
| Procedure Volumes | Moderate to Strong | Moderate to Strong | Some gynecological procedures, such as endometrial ablations, sterilizations, fibroid excisions, and PFRs, are considered nonessential and have been delayed; however, as earlier restrictions are now easing in a number of countries (or certain states, provinces, and cities), some procedures will be resumed |
| ASPs | Weak | Strong | There may be slight impact on ASPs if companies choose to support sales volumes through discounts |
| New Product Launches | Weak | Moderate | Because non-COVID-19 related research activities are being postponed, some product launches will be pushed until trial operations return to normal |
| Clinical Trials | Moderate | Moderate | Nonessential trials will be deprioritized and paused/delayed to dedicate more resources to COVID-19. |
| Supply Chain | Moderate | Moderate | Some disruptions in sourcing raw materials from impacted countries, such as China, were observed in early 2020, but such disruptions are unlikely to have a substantial impact going forward |
*General guidance: Weak: 0-10% change in values/timelines; Moderate: 10-20% change in values/timelines; Strong: >20% change in values/timelines. DRG Medtech is developing a robust quantitative framework for our market forecasts; impact metrics shown here may change in the future to align with those used in the quantitative framework.
Detailed Impact Information
Procedure Volumes and Unit Sales
- Elective and nonessential gynecological procedure volumes have been impacted significantly in the H1 2020; however, now that some countries (or states, cities, and provinces) have begun easing some restrictions, some gynecological procedures will be gradually resumed.
- Gynecological procedures related to oncology, urinary incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse are being evaluated on a case-by-case basis depending on the patient's condition.
- Concerns have been raised surrounding the use of minimally invasive surgeries, especially by laparoscopic approaches, due to the possibility of aerosol formation during the procedure, which can infect the surgical staff. This will further limit procedure volumes and unit sales in this market.
Companies
- Hologic has withdrawn its 2020 financial guidance and is expecting a decline in revenues in Q2 and Q3, due primarily to the postponement of elective surgeries. The company has implemented expense-reduction measures but is still in the process of discerning the true impact on its business.
- Boston Scientific is also expecting Q3 revenues to decline due to deferred procedures and is expected to release final sales results on April 29, 2020.
- Coloplast has similarly revised its financial guidance for 2020 and is now expecting slower revenue growth for Q2 and Q3, though the company expects to recapture sales once the situation normalizes.
Clinical Trials
Supply Chain
- KARL STORZ and Coloplast have indicated that their supply chains have not been disrupted and that they will continue operations to ensure supply availability as expected.
