Weak demand for medical materials due to fewer patients and surgeries at medical institutions and restrictions on in-person sales
First written in FY2021-Q2. 6 of 17 entries say "Softened", first in FY2022-Q1. Latest entry: FY2026.
Nichiban moved to the "Worse" side of this theme in 2022, 4 years before the typical company in this theme (2026).
The whole theme swung hardest in 2022: 2 of 8 companies on the "Worse" side.
2 other companies' latest entry also says "Restated".
- FY2026RestatedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market for healthcare institutions, the sales environment remained difficult as higher material and pharmaceutical costs were compounded by rising labor costs associated with work-style reforms and poor hospital operating performance.」
The report continues to describe a challenging sales environment caused by higher material, pharmaceutical, and labor costs and poor hospital operating performance, rather than the previous issues centered on patient numbers, surgery volumes, and restrictions on face-to-face sales resulting from infectious diseases. - 2026-05-14WorsenedResults
「材料費や医薬品費の高騰に加え、働き方改革に伴う人件費の上昇や病院の経営不振が重なり、販売環境は依然として厳しい状況が続きました。」
医療材市場の厳しい環境について、従来の需要要因に加えて費用上昇と病院経営不振を記載している。 - FY2026-H1WorsenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market for healthcare institutions, the sales environment in the healthcare sector became difficult due to higher material and pharmaceutical costs, as well as higher labor costs resulting from work-style reforms and poor hospital operating performance.」
In addition to the issues of patient numbers, surgery volumes, and face-to-face sales caused by infectious diseases, the medical materials market continues to face a challenging environment due to higher material, pharmaceutical, and labor costs and poor hospital operating performance. - FY2025-H1SoftenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, the system for reforming physicians' working practices took effect in April 2024, and in addition to conventional face-to-face sales activities, the company provided information efficiently using digital tools.」
The report describes more efficient methods of providing information to healthcare institutions following the implementation of the system, compared with the previous situation centered on declining patient numbers and surgery volumes and restrictions on face-to-face activities. - FY2024-Q3SoftenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, medical care and healthcare utilization have been improving following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease, and market conditions have begun to show signs of recovery.」
The report states that medical care and healthcare utilization in the medical materials market improved following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease, with market conditions showing signs of recovery. - FY2024-Q2SoftenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, the healthcare system and outpatient visits showed signs of recovery, but temporary pressure on medical facilities also occurred, and the uncertain sales environment continued.」
The report recognizes the recovery in the healthcare system and outpatient visits, indicating some improvement from previously, while temporary pressure on medical facilities and uncertainty about the outlook persist. - FY2024-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「As the number of COVID-19 patients began to increase in June, bed occupancy rates began to rise again, and comments emerged from the medical front lines that the industry was entering the ninth wave, while the uncertain sales environment continued.」
The report points to rising infectious disease cases, a renewed increase in bed occupancy rates, and recognition that the ninth wave was beginning, indicating that the uncertain sales environment in the medical materials market was deteriorating again. - FY2023-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, the uncertain sales environment continued, with some medical facilities reaching full capacity in their COVID-19 wards and surgeries being postponed because healthcare workers tested positive, among other effects of the eighth wave of COVID-19.」
In addition to the pressure on medical facilities caused by the renewed spread of the infection through the previous quarter, the eighth wave led to COVID-19 wards reaching full capacity, healthcare workers testing positive, and surgeries being postponed. - FY2023-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, the renewed spread of COVID-19 amid the easing of restrictions on activities drove up bed occupancy rates at medical facilities, while outpatient visits and surgery volumes declined, and the uncertain sales environment continued.」
The description has changed from the easing of pressure on beds and the upward trend in outpatient and surgery volumes noted in the previous quarter to higher bed occupancy rates and lower outpatient and surgery volumes associated with the renewed spread of the infection. - FY2023-Q1SoftenedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, the occupancy rate of beds for critically ill patients at medical facilities declined as the number of COVID-19 patients fell, while outpatient visits and surgery volumes began to increase. However, the uncertain sales environment continued, as the growth rate in COVID-19 vaccinations slowed.」
Conditions at healthcare institutions improved in part due to the decline in infectious disease patients, lower occupancy rates for beds for critically ill patients, and rising outpatient and surgery volumes, but the slowdown in vaccination growth and the uncertainty persist. - FY2022RestatedAnnual report
「The uncertain sales environment continues, with non-urgent surgeries being postponed.」
The report continues to describe weak demand for medical materials due to declining patient numbers and surgery volumes, as well as pressure on medical facilities. - FY2022-Q3SoftenedAnnual report
「Although the decline in COVID-19 cases and the resulting lower bed occupancy rate enabled healthcare institutions to recover from the pressure they had faced for a time, concerns remained over a renewed spread of COVID-19 caused by variants, and the uncertain sales environment continued.」
The decline in bed occupancy rates eased the pressure on healthcare institutions from its peak, but concerns over a renewed spread caused by variants and the uncertain sales environment persist. - FY2022-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the medical materials market serving healthcare institutions, medical facilities remained under severe pressure due to the explosive increase in patients caused by the fifth wave of COVID-19, which began in late June, and the challenging environment continued. Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in Japan increased sharply, and the previously serious occupancy rate of beds for critically ill patients began to decline in September.」
The report continues to describe the sharp increase in patients and pressure on medical facilities caused by the fifth wave, alongside the expansion of vaccinations and the declining occupancy rate of beds for critically ill patients. - FY2022-Q1SoftenedAnnual report
「In the market for medical materials supplied to medical institutions, hospital operations remained difficult due to the continued decline in visiting patients and surgeries caused by the spread of COVID-19. However, the number of COVID-19 vaccinations increased sharply in June of this year, and pressure on the medical system was easing as the occupancy rate of hospital beds for infected patients declined.」
Although the difficult environment caused by declines in patient numbers and surgeries continued, the company stated that pressure on the medical system was easing as vaccinations increased and hospital bed occupancy declined. - FY2021RestatedAnnual report
「Visits to medical institutions and in-person activities such as academic conferences remained restricted, and the company operated with a changed sales model using web-based meetings.」
The decline in visiting patients, surgeries and consumables used by medical institutions, together with restrictions on in-person sales activities, continued, and the company shifted to sales using web-based meetings. - FY2021-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the market for medical materials supplied to medical institutions, the spread of COVID-19 reduced the volume of consumables used by medical institutions as the number of visiting patients and surgeries declined, creating a difficult sales environment. In addition, visits to medical institutions and in-person activities such as academic conferences remained restricted, requiring the company to operate with a changed sales model.」
The decline in the number of visiting patients and surgeries, the reduction in consumables used by medical institutions, and restrictions on in-person activities such as visits and academic conferences have continued. - FY2021-Q2First statedAnnual report
「In the market for medical materials supplied to medical institutions, the spread of COVID-19 reduced the volume of consumables used by medical institutions as the number of visiting patients and surgeries declined, creating a difficult sales environment. In addition, visits to medical institutions and in-person activities such as academic conferences remained restricted, requiring the company to operate with a changed sales model.」
The spread of COVID-19 reduced the number of visiting patients and surgeries and the volume of consumables used by medical institutions, while in-person activities such as visits and academic conferences were also restricted. Demand in the medical materials field weakened and sales methods changed in practice.