Rubella Treatment Market Trends

Growth Drivers

• Government programs & public health initiatives: The immunization campaigns by governments, international bodies, and national maternal health strategies are prompting a greater business environment for the market. In April, the Union Health Minister in India launched the National Zero Measles-Rubella Elimination Campaign to achieve 100% immunization coverage through the administration of two MR vaccine doses. In India, the MR vaccination coverage has reached 93.7% for the first dose and 92.2% for the second, hence positively influencing market growth.
• Improved diagnostic awareness: The enhancements in terms of diagnostic tools, such as serological tests, immunoassays, and point-of-care diagnostics, are enabling earlier detection of rubella infections, facilitating upliftment in the rubella treatment market. In this regard, the CDC in June 2024 stated that Rubella IgG serology testing is the primary method for assessing immunity before, during, and after pregnancy.  Besides, the IgG avidity testing helps distinguish recent infection (low avidity) from past exposure or vaccination (high avidity), which is especially useful in early pregnancy to assess the risk of congenital rubella syndrome.
• Growing focus on maternal & neonatal health: There has been consistent progress in the awareness of rubella risk during pregnancy, which encourages prenatal screening, prophylactic / post-exposure treatments, and immunoglobulin therapies. As of June 2023, the HealthDirect Australia report states that women planning pregnancy should get screened for rubella immunity and get vaccinated if not immune, avoiding pregnancy for 28 days after vaccination, providing an optimistic opportunity for pioneers in this field.

Reported Rubella Cases and Incidence in 2023 (Selected Countries)

Source: NIH

MR Vaccine Prices per Dose 2021-2025

Source: UNICEF

Challenges

• Limited access: One of the most considerable obstacles for the rubella treatment market is the limited access in certain regions. Despite the proven effectiveness of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in preventing rubella infections, vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation, cultural fears, and fear about side effects creates a barrier for market upliftment, affecting overall coverage.  This further necessitates strong public health communication and education to build trust.
• Complex diagnostics: This is yet another factor hindering the expansion of the rubella treatment market across major economies. The difficulty in accurately diagnosing rubella infections, especially in pregnant women, is that it can be mild or even absent, making clinical diagnosis unreliable. Moreover, serology testing, particularly IgM tests, can produce false positives due to cross-reactivity with other infections or lingering antibodies from past vaccinations, leading to misdiagnosis.