Increasing Consumption of Illicit Drugs & Alcohol Fueling Drug of Abuse Testing Demand in Europe

The surging consumption of alcohol, especially in the eastern and western regions, is driving the demand for drug of abuse (DOA) tests in Europe. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), the disability and mortality rates in Eastern Europe are quite high, primarily because of the high alcohol consumption in the region. According to several estimates, the alcohol intoxication rate is the highest in the Russian Federation and many neighboring countries.

Access Detailed Report Europe Drug of Abuse Testing Market Regional and Country Breakdown Report

As per the online publication, Our World in Data, the average alcohol consumption in Eastern Europe was the highest in Europe, with the region recording 14–17 liters of alcohol consumption by a person in a year. Besides the increasing alcohol addiction issues, the surging enactment of government initiatives aimed at mitigating alcohol addiction among people and reducing the incidence of drunk driving and illicit drug consumption is also fueling the demand for DOA testing in Europe. 

For example, SYNLAB Bondco PLC completed the acquisition of Yhtyneet Medix Laboratoriot Oy, which provides central laboratory services in the domains of pathology, clinical chemistry, genetics, and clinical microbiology in July, 2018. Similarly, ACM Global Laboratories acquired ABS Laboratories, which is a company that provides bioanalytical services, in June 2018. This acquisition added to its collection of several international and domestic laboratories focused on central, toxicology, and bioanalytical lab testing.

Between products and services, the demand for DOA services is predicted to rise rapidly in the coming years. This will be because of the increasing implementation of strict drug testing policies at workplaces and the growing focus of DOA testing companies on offering testing services in the region. These tests are conducted through hair, saliva, and urine samples. Amongst these, urine samples were the most widely used in the continent in the past years. Workplaces, hospitals, homes, and laboratories are the major end users of DOA testing procedures in Europe.