PUBLISHER: Grand View Research | PRODUCT CODE: 1869686
PUBLISHER: Grand View Research | PRODUCT CODE: 1869686
The global pain management drugs market size was estimated at USD 78.84 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 115.92 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 4.38% from 2025 to 2033. The rising prevalence of chronic pain conditions across aging and lifestyle-affected populations drives the growth of the global pain management drugs market.
Increasing cases of arthritis, cancer-related pain, lower back disorders, neuropathic pain, and post-surgical discomfort have intensified the demand for effective pharmacological interventions. The growing burden of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders has expanded the patient pool requiring long-term pain therapy. Healthcare providers are adopting advanced pain management approaches to enhance quality of life and reduce healthcare burden. In addition, the growing awareness of pain as a treatable clinical condition has supported early diagnosis and treatment. The rising number of surgical procedures globally further contributes to the higher consumption of analgesics and opioids, strengthening the need for targeted and multimodal pain management therapies.
The market expansion is further supported by continuous innovation in non-opioid pain medications and novel drug delivery technologies. For instance, in January 2025, TIME reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved suzetrigine, marketed as Journavx by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, as the first new class of non-opioid pain medication in over 20 years. Suzetrigine is a 50 mg oral tablet taken twice daily and targets the Nav1.8 sodium channel, specific to pain neurons, thereby avoiding the addictive potential of opioids. In clinical trials involving patients recovering from bunionectomy and abdominoplasty surgeries, 83% and 61% of participants taking suzetrigine, respectively, reported at least a 30% reduction in pain, compared to 68% and 48% in the placebo groups. These results suggest that suzetrigine may offer a safer alternative to opioids for managing acute pain. Pharmaceutical companies also focus on developing safer formulations, while advancements in extended-release and transdermal drugs improve efficacy, convenience, and patient adherence.
Regulatory oversight continues to shape market trends. For instance, on March 12, 2025, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) published a report detailing the removal of the post-operative pain indication from all modified-release opioids due to safety concerns, including persistent post-operative opioid use (PPOU) and opioid-induced ventilatory impairment (OIVI). PPOU occurred in 2% to 44% of patients treated with prolonged-release opioids, rising to 60% in those previously using these opioids, while OIVI incidence ranged from 0.4% to 41%. Consequently, the MHRA recommended that only immediate-release opioids be prescribed for short-term post-operative pain and encouraged smaller pack sizes to reduce over-prescription. Overall, growing R&D in non-addictive analgesics, personalized therapies, digital monitoring tools, and expanded healthcare access is fueling the sustained growth of the pain management drugs market globally.
Global Pain Management Drugs Market Report Segmentation
This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2021 to 2033. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global pain management drugs market report based on drug class, indication, distribution channel and region: