Increasing Cases of Diabetes and Demand for Screening Driving HbA1c Testing Market

New York, NY, July 10, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Global market intelligence firm, Netscribes, Inc. has released its latest report on the "HbA1c Testing Market in India." The report describes the market as one with the strongest growth potential in the healthcare sector.

India is characterized by the presence of a large diabetic population. The country’s status as the diabetes capital of the world has made the need for diabetes prevention and screening very important. Naturally, tests for measuring the blood glucose levels are highly in demand within the country. HbA1c testing is also benefiting from this trend. The ability to measure one’s blood glucose levels over a period of three months has made it a favored mode of diabetes testing. It is also an important mode of blood glucose monitoring and can be useful for people who believe they are at high risk of developing diabetes. The market for HbA1c testing has been growing steadily and with the awareness level regarding it increasing rapidly, the market is set to boom in a few years.

Although diabetes testing is considered to be very useful for screening as well as monitoring the diabetes status of a patient, it comes at a much higher cost compared to a simple blood sugar level test, thereby causing a hindrance to its greater acceptance. However, the need to go for HbA1c tests only three to four times a year unlike the blood sugar level test which may have to be done on a monthly basis can work in favor of the former. Moreover, HbA1c tests give a clearer picture of the status of a diabetes patient as it helps to measure the glucose levels over a period of three months. Several physicians also prescribe this test to their patients, which in turn will increase its demand and thereby drive growth in the market.

Several large diagnostic chains offer these tests in India. Majority of the patients going for this test are confirmed diabetics with very few non-diabetics undergoing this test. Most of the patients visiting laboratories for HbA1c tests have been prescribed to go for this test by a physician while only a few people opt for the test on their own. But with increasing awareness among people, this ratio is likely to change and many more people are expected to go for this test independently.