Human gut microbiome science might impact 25% to 35% of all traditional healthcare decisions in the next 10 to 15 years

InnerBuddies (innerbuddies.com) is active in the space of the human gut microbiome. This is one of the fastest growing segments in healthcare with a large expected total impact on healthcare. If gut microbiome science becomes standard in clinical settings, its influence could extend to ~25–35% of all traditional healthcare decisions within the next 10–15 years, because:

• Metabolic + GI + Immunology → already mainstream cost drivers.
• Oncology + Neuro → smaller in numbers but high-cost areas where microbiome integration will matter.

That doesn’t mean microbiome replaces other approaches, but it becomes a core diagnostic and therapeutic layer across a quarter to a third of medicine.

Metabolic Health (Obesity, Diabetes, NAFLD)

Today:

• Metabolic diseases are the largest cost driver in healthcare globally (obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, cardiovascular complications).

Microbiome impact:

• Diagnostics: microbiome-based risk stratification & early detection.
• Therapeutics: personalized nutrition, pre/probiotics, live biotherapeutics, fecal microbiota transplants (FMT).

Impact size:

• Could affect 20–25% of healthcare spending, since metabolic diseases account for that share in most OECD countries.
  

Oncology

Today:

• Cancer = ~10% of healthcare costs, but ~20% of pharma spend.

Microbiome impact:

• Predicting response to immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors).
• Adjunct therapies (microbiome modulation to improve treatment efficacy, reduce side effects).

Impact size:

• While oncology cases are fewer, costs are high. Microbiome integration could impact 5–10% of oncology treatment decisions within a decade.

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Today:

• GI diseases (IBD, IBS, infections) = ~5–8% of healthcare spending.

Microbiome impact:

• Direct interventions (FMT, targeted probiotics, microbiome-derived drugs).
• Diagnostics (IBD flare prediction, IBS stratification).

Impact size:

• Gut microbiome could become standard of care in 50–70% of GI cases.

Neuro / Psych (Gut–Brain Axis)

Today:

• Neurological and psychiatric conditions = ~15% of healthcare burden.

Microbiome impact:

• Still emerging, but promising in depression, anxiety, autism spectrum, Parkinson’s.
• Likely first applied as adjunctive biomarker / therapy, not stand-alone cures.

Impact size:

• Medium-term (10–15 years): 2–5% of neuro/psych care may be guided by microbiome insights.

Immunology / Inflammation

Today:

• Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (RA, MS, psoriasis, allergies) = ~7–10% of costs.

Microbiome impact:

• Microbiome signatures as predictors of immune over- or under-response.
• Development of microbiome-informed biologics.

Impact size:

• Could influence 10–20% of autoimmune disease treatment decisions.