While augmented reality (AR) is not set to make a huge splash when it comes to the pharma industry, this is not due to lack of potential, but rather a lack of understanding, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s report, ‘Augmented Reality in Healthcare’ reveals that 29% of pharma practitioners do not understand AR, while 19% believe there are a lack of use cases for the technology.

George Monaghan, Thematic Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “A lack of understanding and use cases is seriously inhibiting AR adoption in the healthcare industry. While pharma professionals are more familiar with this technology, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced practitioners to use new technologies, there are still big gaps in understanding.”

GlobalData’s report shows that, while augmented reality is not set to be a priority ‘must-have’—as with artificial intelligence (AI) or data analytics—it will provide value to companies that do invest.

Monaghan continued: “AR is useful in processes that are limited by poor information flow—that is, when there is too much information to communicate, or sharing information is practically or intellectually difficult. AR removes this barrier by delivering information more intuitively and comprehensibly. AR has uses in healthcare professional training, research and development (R&D), manufacturing, sales and marketing.”

Looking more widely, AR is set to explode, rising from a mere $7 billion in 2020 to a whopping $152 billion by 2030, according to GlobalData forecasts.

Monaghan added: “For pharma and medical devices, AR has been mainly used in niche applications within manufacturing and sales and marketing. The technology has the most promise and use cases in supporting healthcare providers, particularly in surgical assistance and professional training.”