The Human Identification Market size is estimated at USD 0.81 billion in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 1.41 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 11.64% during the forecast period (2024-2029).
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the human identification market as many human identification services were hampered during the peak of COVID-19, especially forensic activities. For instance, according to the study published in the Journal of Safety Science and Resilience in February 2022, crime, and illicit economies, such as organized crime, domestic violence, terrorism, street crime, online crime, illegal markets and smuggling, human and wildlife trafficking, slavery, robberies, and burglaries decreased exponentially during the pandemic era. Thus, a decrease in crimes and investigations during the pandemic reduced the number of forensic tests, impeding the market's growth. Moreover, COVID-19 led to some revolutionary developments in the polymerase chain reaction technology and as the infection rate decreased significantly along with large-scale vaccination, the studied market was expected to recover from the COVID-19 effect and have healthy growth over the forecast period.
The market is driven by an increase in technological advancement in human identification technology, and various government initiatives and supports. There is the rapid growth of technological advancements in human identification that is highly important to make the world more secure and these techniques are extensively used in forensics for the identification of criminals. There are new techniques and technologies for DNA profiling continue to evolve every year. In May 2022, Promega's Spectrum CE System introduced a new alternative in a market capillary electrophoresis (CE) instrument. The instrument provides forensic analysts with unrivalled flexibility in how they process samples using short tandem repeat (STR) analysis by eliminating scheduling challenges and supporting chemistry from key vendors. Human identification in criminal casework and database cases now has a new option for capillary electrophoresis (CE) instruments to support their workflow.
Additionally, governments around the world have increased their support for the field due to the potential and rising demand for human identification in various industries. For instance, in March 2022, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) approved the formation of a National Center for Human Identification.
Furthermore, the strategic initiatives such as collaborations and product launches undertaken by the market players contribute to the market growth. For instance, in June 2021, QIAGEN N.V. reported a commercialization partnership with San Diego-based human identification specialist Verogenthat will provide customers of both companies with superior tools and comprehensive support for human identification (HID) workflows in their laboratories. Further, in March 2022, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) approved the formation of a National Center for Human Identification. In March 2022, ARUP Laboratories launched a new bioinformatics platform for better, faster next-generation sequencing test results, Rio, an advanced bioinformatics pipeline and analytics platform. Rio extends ARUP's existing cloud computing capabilities to transfer data more quickly and accurately, allowing clinicians to analyze test findings more quickly and make better medical decisions. Hence, the company's activities in the human identification segment are expected to boost the studied market growth.
Thus, the studied market growth is attributed to the above mentioned factors, and the market is expected to grow significantly over the forecast period. However, the cost of instruments and the shortage of skilled professionals might hinder market growth.
Human identification is widely used in forensics, paternity testing, disaster victim identification, and anthropology, with DNA analysis/profiling being a key tool in this sector. The increasing crime rate across the globe is one of the major factors driving the growth of this segment.
In typical forensic services engaged by a genetic engineering company, there are data accumulated from several sources, including serology and DNA analysis, and profiling DNA from various sources, such as tissue samples from autopsy and surgery, scrapings from blood spatter, and hair with roots, among others. The biotechnology-based companies are also engaged in criminal justice-related services. For instance, in March 2022, the Spectrum CE System of Promega corporation was launched. This system is compatible with any 5-, 6- or 8-color STR analysis chemistry for use in forensic laboratories for human identification. Thus, the advances are expected to drive segment growth.
Moreover, In October 2021, the Indian Government launched three fast-track DNA testing units in Mumbai, Nagpur, and Pune under the Nirbhaya scheme for women and child sexual abuse cases. This growing number of crime and government initiatives globally are expected to drive segment growth.
The demand for identification technology is rising continuously due to the growing rate of crimes is boosting the need for forensic kits and services, enhancing the segment growth over the forecast period.
North America holds a significant share of the human identification market. The North American human identification market is expected to grow during the forecast period owing to the technological advancements in the human identification system coupled with the increasing demand for reducing the time and cost of DNA analysis and growing use in forensics in this country.
The funding from the United States government for supporting forensics is rising, which is responsible for the growth of the region. For instance, in 2021, the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs (OJP) granted awards totalling more than USD 210 million to fund crime laboratories, support research, decrease DNA backlogs, and help law enforcement identify missing persons. Further, the increasing adoption of human identification system techniques by government offices in the United States for forensic purposes is also expected to propel the market's growth. Such as, in August 2020, the New York City medical examiner's office approved to use next-generation sequencing, which the Department of Défense is already using to identify remains from World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Thus, the adoption of products and services by government offices and funding for the development of human identification services is bolstering the market growth in the country.
Moreover, the recent development in the countries across North America is the major factor driving the studied market growth. For example, in February 2021, ANDE corporation launched the Rapid DNA booking management product suite, which is available for immediate delivery. Moreover, in March 2022, Ancestry DNA company was launched in Mexico as a geographical expansion strategy. This launch provides customers in Mexico access to the world's largest consumer DNA match network, which includes over 1.5 million of Mexican descent and the full ancestry DNA feature set, including ethnicity estimates and other access. Thus, the recent advances in the countries across the region are driving market growth.
Therefore, owing to the previously mentioned factors, the growth of the studied market is predicted in the North American region.
The human identification market is moderately competitive. There has been a presence of a considerable number of companies that are significantly contributing to the market growth. Product innovation and ongoing development activities for developing advanced technologies have been helping the growth of the market. Key market players operating in the global human identification market include Promega Corporation, AUTOGEN INC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Verogen Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Hamilton Company, Qiagen NV, ANDE Corporation, GENETEK Biopharma GmbH, and Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
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