Market of hospital infectious waste treatment facilities in Iran: An oligopoly market

This study aimed at assessing and economic analysis of the existing market of treatment devices of infectious waste in Iranian hospitals.
Material and In the current descriptive- analytical study which was performed in 2013, the data resulting from national cross- sectional study in Center of Environmental and Occupation Health in 2012 and interview with relevant authorities in 14 Tehran's hospital with at least three years experience using the facilities were utilized.
Until 2012, 883 hospitals have been active in nationwide that more than 64% of them owned by university of medical sciences and SBMU and TUMS with 114 and 45 centers have the highest number of hospitals respectively. Also hospital beds per 1000 population in the country were calculated 1.78. About 80% of hospitals utilized wet thermal and mostly based on autoclave machines for treatment which market share of domestic products is about 55% that Koosha Company, TEM and KAZU have the largest share with 39%, 23.5% and 12.9% respectively.
Existence a large heterogeneity in the type and function of the studied devices has created possible of Cartel in an oligopoly atmosphere which with a targeted regulation and policy making toward protectionism, it can be observed price decreasing, enhancing effectiveness, quality and safety increasing of infectious waste treatment facilities