Market Size of Drug Screening Industry
| Study Period | 2018 - 2028 |
| Market Size (2023) | USD 6.27 Billion |
| Market Size (2028) | USD 13.36 Billion |
| CAGR (2023 - 2028) | 16.35 % |
| Fastest Growing Market | Asia-Pacific |
| Largest Market | North America |
Major Players
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order |
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Drug Screening Market Analysis
The Drug Screening Market size is expected to grow from USD 6.27 billion in 2023 to USD 13.36 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 16.35% during the forecast period (2023-2028).
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the market is expected to be significant. According to a recent survey conducted by the Current Consulting Group (CCG) in August 2021, about 21% of employers have reported a decline of 61% or more in the number of drug tests undertaken on their employees during the pandemic. This is attributed to several factors, including a decrease in the number of people being tested because of an increase in the number of employees working from home and general concerns about workplace drug testing safety and COVID-19 safeguards. Also, as per the research article published in Population Health Management, 2021, a significant decrease in the testing for prescription and illicit drugs was observed, with a weekly test volume decrease of 70%. Thus, decreased drug screening had a significant impact on the market during the pandemic. However, the demand for drug screening during the post-pandemic period is expected to increase, thereby boosting the growth of the market over the forecast period.
The key factor driving the global drug screening market are increased drug and alcohol consumption, strict alcohol and drug testing legislation, government funding for pharmaceutical development, and regulatory approvals. According to the World Drug Report 2021 published by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2022, the number of people using drugs increased by 22%. As per the UNODC findings in 2021, around 200 million people smoked cannabis, which accounted for 4% of the global population. Furthermore, according to the same source, the number of cannabis users increased by around 18%. In addition, around 20 million people consumed cocaine, which accounted for 0.4% of the global population. Thus, the rising consumption of drugs among the population is expected to increase the demand for drug screening, in turn, fueling the overall market growth in the studied period.
Moreover, several initiatives by the key players are one of the factors propelling the growth of the studied market. For Instance, In August 2021, Quest diagnostics and select health of south California entered into an agreement to expand select health's laboratory network for its Medicaid and Medicare dual-eligible enrollees and to enhance diagnostics information services.
However, prohibitions on the consumption of alcohol and drugs in some countries, as well as restrictions prohibiting drug testing at work, particularly in developed economies may hinder the global drug screening market's growth.
