SMSRC & Group (Medclin Research and Synaegis), one of India’s leading healthcare research, intelligence & consulting organizations, has published findings on major disease trends prevailing in India, and how they are currently being managed by healthcare providers. The study reveals that Diseases of the Respiratory System as the largest disease area in India.

The study was conducted on the basis of MAT Feb 2024 prescription audit - de identified and aggregated data, of more than 10,700 doctors over a 15-year period. Doctors in the sample were distributed across all key specialties, across 80+ cities/towns of India. This is a first of its kind real world evidence-based study from an Indian context.

According to the publication, Diseases of the Respiratory System is the largest disease area in India, constituting 15.3% of all Rx of total patients with diseases in India.

Endocrine & Metabolic diseases (e.g. Diabetes and others) is at second place with 13.5% share of Rx of all patients, followed by GI related diseases and circulatory diseases (hypertension, cholesterol etc) as the next ranked disease area.

Respiratory diseases that constitute of various upper/lower respiratory tract diseases, are treated via the following therapeutic class of medicines - antibiotics, cough & cold preparations, pain relievers and respiratory products. Respiratory products constituting of anti-asthma tablets, syrups, inhalers and nebuliser categories are one of the fastest growing therapeutic class of medicines in India.

Further, within Diseases of the Respiratory System, URTI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection) constitutes 27% of the share in 2024 and is the largest type of respiratory diseases. However, over the past 10 years COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) - 6% of all respiratory diseases) and “Running Nose” (an upper respiratory tract condition) have been the relatively faster growing respiratory diseases.