Operations and Business Environment - Fresenius Medical Care

02. 1 Our Fiscal year
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Sector-Specific Conditions – Dialysis Market
If not indicated otherwise, data are based on internal estimates.
Patients – A Global Approach
Renal replacement therapy in the form of dialysis or transplantation
is offered to patients with end-stage renal
disease (ESRD) in more than 140 countries worldwide.
The country prevalence values (the relative number of
patients treated for ESRD) vary significantly, spanning a
range from far less than 100 to more than 1,000 patients
per million population (p.m.p.). Around 95 % of ESRD
patients are treated in only 60 countries. Analyzing these
60 countries with regard to their economic strength, using
the gross national product per capita as a reference,
three prevalence-wealth categories can be established.
The 20 countries with the greatest economic power such
as the U.S., Japan and Germany, show an average ESRD
prevalence of considerably more than 1,000 p.m.p., and
in none of these countries is the prevalence lower than
600 p.m.p. The 20 countries with moderate economic
performance have an average prevalence of approximately
500 p.m.p. In the countries with less economic
power, less than 100 p.m.p. receive treatment. The relatively
low prevalence value in these countries suggests
that the economic situation still plays a significant role
regarding accessibility to ESRD treatment.
Patients – Regional Development
By the end of 2006, the number of ESRD patients undergoing
dialysis treatment had reached 1.53 million
worldwide. Of these patients, around 22 % were treated
in the U.S., 18 % in Japan and 18 % in the European
Union. The remaining 42 % of all dialysis patients were
distributed among more than 100 countries in different
geographical regions. The number of dialysis patients
increased by approximately 6 % in 2006.
Significant regional differences remained: a below-average
increase in patient numbers was experienced in the
U.S. and Japan, as well as in Western and Central Europe.
In all these regions, the prevalence of terminal kidney
failure is already relatively high and patients generally
have secured access to treatment, usually dialysis.
Annual growth rates in the economically weaker regions,
however, were above average, with values of up to
10 %. The relatively high growth in these areas indicates
that accessibility to treatment is still somewhat limited,
albeit gradually improving.
Patients – Treatment Mode Development
By the end of 2006, the total number of patients treated
for terminal kidney failure had reached approximately
two million. Of the about 1.53 million that undergo
dialysis treatment, 1.37 million are treated with hemo-
Dialysis Patients by Region
2006 Change
North America
Europe / Middle East / Africa
Asia-Pacific
Latin America
Worldwide
400,000
465,000
510,000
155,000
1,530,000
~ 4 %
~ 5 %
~ 7 %
~ 8 %
~ 6 %
Fresenius Medical Care 2006