Malta’s Public Sector Employment Sees 4.5% Rise Since March 2013

Malta’s Principle Permanent Secretary Mario Cutajar came to the defense of the spike in the number of public sector employees saying that the education and health sector are in a phase of high growth in the island country. He said that in view of the rising public demand, there was a strong need to deploy more public sector workers in these two areas. According to Cutajar, it is important to immediately replace any vacancies in positions for teachers or nurses, as well as fill the new positions created as a result of the expanding health and education sector.

The local media has previously raised questions regarding the sudden rise in the number of public sector employees in the country. The NSO, in August 2014, had published statistics that showed a steep rise in the number of workers in the public sector in Malta. The Opposition parties said that nearly 1,900 new jobs had been added to the public sector in the very first year since the Labor Party came to power. This marks a 4.5% rise since March 2013.

However, according to Cutajar, the public sector in Malta is in need of renewal, and the focus is now being shifted toward reducing bureaucracy and in improving the client-focus of these units, when dealing with both internal and external clients. He also added that on account of these capacity expansions, there has been a marked improvement in the quality of public sector services being offered under the aegis of the Malta government.

Lithuania Becomes First European Country to Ban Energy Drinks to Under 18s

From November 1 this year, Lithuania has banned the sale of energy drinks to those aged under 18 years. This makes the country the first in the European region to do so. The decision to impose the ban was frozen in May 2014, and has now been definitively imposed across the country. On similar lines, yet another ban on energy drinks targeted at under 18s will also be imposed very soon in the Baltic state.

As per the specifics of the ban, any drink that contains 150 miligrams per liter of caffeine is considered as an energy drink. To put things in perspective, consider this: A 250ml can of Red Bull typically contains about 80 mg of caffeine.

Authorities were forced to consider this ban seriously after a 2013 study commissioned by the European Food Safety Authority commissioned revealed that in Europe, nearly 70% of energy drink sales could be attributed to teenagers. Lithuania, teenagers accounted for about 50% of the total sales of energy drinks.

However, energy drinks are not being regarded as a public health risk by the government. This is also the reason it hasn’t placed these beverages in the same category as alcohol and tobacco.

Government officials said that ample research has been done to prove that energy drinks could be detrimental to health – especially so for teenagers - and hence it became imperative for the government to take corrective measures.

Meanwhile, market watchers said that this ban will severely dent the energy drinks market in Lithuania, which in 2014 was valued at 26.4 million euro, according to Euromonitor.

Europe Ambulatory Surgical and Emergency Center Services Market Expected to Reach USD 42.8 Billion in 2020

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research “Europe Ambulatory Surgical & Emergency Center Services Market - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020” the Europe ambulatory surgical and emergency center market was valued at USD 18.5 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach USD 42.8 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 13.0% from 2014 to 2020.

Ambulatory surgery refers to planned diagnostic intervention that can be performed on a daily basis. The market of Europe ambulatory surgical and emergency center comprises different types of surgical procedures such as ophthalmology, pain management, gastrointestinal, orthopedic, dermatology, urology, obstetrics and vascular that can be done on ambulatory basis. The ambulatory surgery market in Europe is driven by factors such as rising geriatric population coupled with increasing incidences of cataract, varicose vein, hernia, illegal abortions and others. According to the 2013 European Commission report, around 17.8% of the European population were aged 65 years and above in 2012. The organization also stated that the percentage of aging population is expected to reach around 29.9% by 2050. Thereby, rising burden of cataract, hernia and other problems are also likely to increase with aging population which would boost the market of ambulatory surgical and emergency center services. Introduction of new technologies and growing penetration of minimally invasive surgeries will further stimulate the European ambulatory surgery market. Advancement in operative techniques and surgical instruments would enable more complex surgeries such as disc operation, retinal detachment, pars plana vitrectomy and others to be performed under ambulatory basis and hence would drive the market growth. These all factors collectively propel the need of ambulatory surgical services during the forecast period. However, lack of proper ambulatory facilities and unfavorable reimbursement schemes for ambulatory services would restrain the market growth in Europe.

The market of Europe ambulatory surgical and emergency analyzes both segments (i.e. types of procedures and geography) in terms of market revenue (USD Million) and market volume (number of procedures). The orthopedic surgeries segment accounted for the largest market share in 2013 owing to high cost of surgeries compared to other ambulatory surgeries. However, ophthalmology segment recorded the highest CAGR (in terms of market revenue) and highest number of procedures in terms of market volume. The high growth of ophthalmology surgery is attributed to growing number of ophthalmology surgeries coupled with rising incidences of vision problems such as cataract, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and others. For example, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) stated that the number of day surgeries performed for cataract is continuously increasing in Europe.

Browse the full Europe Ambulatory Surgical & Emergency Center Services Market:  

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/europe-ambulatory-surgical-emergency-center-services-market.html

Geographically, Europe ambulatory surgical and emergency center services market is segmented as the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Rest of the Europe. The U.K. ambulatory surgical and emergency center market accounted for the largest share owing to rising government initiatives to promote ambulatory surgeries coupled with advancement in ambulatory surgical techniques. However, Rest of the Europe (RoE) recorded the highest number of ambulatory surgeries performed in 2013. Low cost for ambulatory surgeries as compared to other European countries coupled with rising trend of ambulatory surgeries in countries such as Netherlands, Sweden and others helps RoE to record high number of ambulatory surgical procedures. 

The market of Europe ambulatory surgical and emergency center services is majorly dominated by government hospitals. However, due to immense growth potential in this industry, private sector hospitals are expected to grow consistently in the near future. The key players having presence in the ambulatory surgical & emergency center services market include AmSurg Corporation, LCA – Vision, Inc., Symbion, Inc., Terveystalo Healthcare Oyj, Medical Facilities Corporation, Healthway Medical Corporation Ltd., Eifelhoehen-Klinik AG, Community Health Systems, Inc. and others.

The Europe ambulatory surgical and emergency center services market is segmented as follows:

Europe Ambulatory Surgical and Emergency Center Services Market, by Types of Procedures

• Ophthalmology
• Gastrointestinal
• Pain Management
• Orthopedics
• Dermatology
• ENT
• Urology
• Obstetrics
• Vascular
• General Surgery
• Pulmonary

Europe Ambulatory Surgical and Emergency Center Services Market, by Country

• U.K.
• Germany
• France
• Italy
• Spain
• Belgium
• Rest of the Europe (RoE)

Unilever U.S. Revamping Buttery Spreads Range

Unilever U.S. has recently stated that it is revamping its range of buttery spreads. The first product to undergo change will be I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! The recipe will now be based on ingredients such as plant-based oils and water, with the artificial preservatives being removed entirely. Following this, other products in the portfolio will be transformed starting 2015.

The company, one of the largest players in the consumer goods market, said that it is focusing more and more on how it can delivery balanced food products made using simple ingredients without compromising the nutritional value of foods. The company said that it is also laying greater emphasis on sustainable sourcing, and the latest product transformations will propel those efforts.

According to Unilever Foods, NA, VP Mike Faherty, the series of transformations will begin with I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, and the company is positive that this will help boost sales of buttery spreads for the company. This product will be launched in November 2014, and will be applied to the company’s other buttery spreads brands such as Imperia, Brummel & Brown, and Country Crock later in 2015.

As consumers are increasingly wary of consuming butter with high amounts of hydrogenated fats, there has been a shift towards buttery spreads that are made using plant-based oils and other natural ingredients that are high in good cholesterol. The company seems to have spotted this gap, and is leading the transformation of buttery spreads into even healthier products that will likely be received by health conscious consumers.

E-Clinical Solution Software Market is expected to reach USD 6,515.3 million in 2020

According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research “E-Clinical Solution Software Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2014 - 2020,” the global microfluidic device market was valued at USD 3,005 million in 2014 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2014 to 2020, to reach an estimated value of USD 6,515.3 million in 2020.

Globally, the e-clinical solution software market is witnessing significant growth due to increasing clinical trials and R&D investments in pharmaceuticals and life science. Increasing prevalence of diseases supports clinical trials in different regions. Various lifestyle associated diseases and genetic disorders in the Middle East and North African countries have also enhanced clinical trials in the respective regions. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry is facing immense pressure to reduce the time consumed during clinical trials and to raise the productivity of drugs. Presence of various end users such as pharmaceuticals, clinical research organizations (CRO) and healthcare providers has increased the acceptance of e-clinical solution software. The global e-clinical solution software market is estimated at USD 3,005 million in 2014. It is likely to grow at a CAGR of 13.8% from 2014 to 2020 to reach USD 6,515.3 million in 2020.

North America is a traditional clinical trial region. The average cost of pharmaceutical research and development for a successful drug continues to increase from pre-clinical stage i.e. initial development stage of drug till FDA approval i.e. drug is launched in market. According to Oracle Corporation, an e-clinical software company, the percentage share of global clinical trials conducted in North America has reduced from 30% in 2006 to 19% in 2010. This was due to regulatory and legal considerations, which shifted the clinical trial market from North America to developing countries such as India and China. This may lead to sluggish growth of clinical trials in the region.

In Europe, Countries in Central and Eastern Europe provide abundant opportunities to life science companies for clinical development. According to Oracle Corporation, the percentage of clinical trials conducted in Western Europe has decreased from 25% to 19% and in Eastern Europe, the percentage has increased from 10% to 13% during 2006-2010. Similarly, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (Clinical Trial government registry), the clinical trials conducted in Europe were 46,192 in May 2014.

However, Asia has become one of the fastest-growing markets for pharmaceutical products. Improved industry regulatory laws and patent expiration laws in various countries including Japan, China and India, have led to the expansion of the clinical trials market in Asia. Asia has lower cost of conducting clinical trials compared to Europe or the U.S.

Oracle Corporation, Medidata Solutions, PAREXEL International Corporation, BioClinica, OmniComm Systems and others are the major players of e-clinical solution software market.

Browse Full E-Clinical Solution Software Market Research Report With Complete TOC:  

http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/e-clinical-solution-software-market.html

The e-clinical solution software market is segmented as follows:

E-Clinical Solution Software Market, By Mode of Delivery

• Web based e-clinical solution software
• Licensed Enterprise e-clinical solution software
• Cloud based e-clinical solution software

E-Clinical Solution Software Market, By Products

• Clinical Data Management
• Clinical Trial Management System
• Electronic Clinical Outcome Assessment Solution
• Randomization and Trial Supply Management
• Safety Solution

E-Clinical Solution Software Market, By End Users

• Pharmaceutical
• Clinical Research Organizations
• Healthcare Providers

E-Clinical Solution Software Market, by Geography

• North America
• U.S.
• Europe
• Germany
• France
• U.K.
• Italy
• Spain
• Poland
• Russia
• Asia
• China
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• India
• Rest of the World (Row)

Massive Public Sector Projects to Gain Speed as Saudi Arabia Makes Contracting Easier

The Saudi Arabian government is on track to implement what could easily be among the most ambitious programs for an infrastructure upgrade. The Riyadh Metro, pegged at US$20 billion, is among the highlights of this massive infrastructure overhaul. Despite this, international contractors have been unable to access the market because of certain barriers to bidding for public sector projects, and the costs associated with the same.

To change these perceived barriers, the Saudi Arabian government has now announced a slew of programs that will make it easier for international contractors to pump money into this lucrative opportunity. The most noticeable among these will be the Saudi Arabian council of minister easing the stringent requirements under the Government Tenders & Procurement Law.

Since Saudi Arabia earned membership of the Trade Organisation in 2005, its markets have been officially open to international contractors for investments. In fact, Saudi Arabia is among the handful of countries in the MENA region that allows 100% ownership in local establishments by foreign companies. While these factors did create a favorable atmosphere for foreign companies, the country also has numerous licenses and certificates that international contractors need to procure. This, according to market analysts, was posing the biggest impediment to international contractors wanting to foray into the Saudi Arabian public sector. Non-compliance with the stringent rules in Saudi Arabia could potentially mean blacklisting, heavy fines, or even imprisonment.

Given that the country is now investing heavily in metros, healthcare projects, airport expansions and infrastructure projects, the need for foreign technology has been more pressing now than ever for the country.

While market experts are calling the easing of laws a progressive step, it remains to be seen whether the changes are able to bring in tangible results.

HP Makes Much-Awaited Foray into the 3D Printing Space

Hewlett-Packard, a company that is best known for its expertise with printers, is taking a step ahead into the 3D printing domain. Industry watchers often expressed surprise that the company, until now, had not made a foray into the emerging fields of 2D and 3D printing technology. However, this is set to change as HP makes a move towards this increasingly lucrative industry segment.

HP recently announced that it will be unveiling its debutant 3D printing come 2016. According to the company, its presence in the 3D printing domain will likely lead this space to grow at a faster pace, besides heating up the competition dynamics. HP top bosses are confident that the company will contribute tangibly to 3D printing technology by bringing down the price of operation.

The company’s 3D printing operations will be initially targeted at enterprises – a market entry model that’s similar to its strategy for large format printers that print billboards and large posters. The 3D printers are likely to be employed for printing industrial components and other practical objects. Experts opine that with HP making foray into the 3D printing space, other companies will be forced to look at making their offerings more competitive and of better quality.

According to industry watchers, HP’s entry in the 3D printing segment is looking like a welcome development as the prices of products will become more affordable, while quality will rise many notches higher.

Since 3D printing hit the commercial space back in 2009, thanks to MakerBot, competition has been intensifying every year with new players announcing their expansion into this domain.