Dealing with regulated data and applying strict controls to comply with privacy and GxP regulations in an R&D context is nothing new to the pharmaceutical industry and broader life sciences sector.

In recent years, however, those involved in designing, executing and interpreting the results of clinical trials, for example, have been working with an ever-greater range and diversity of information sources. Meanwhile, expectations of flexibility and convenience throughout the research process have been rising, including in relation to information sharing both internally and externally.

The research presented in this document looks at the way in which information related needs are evolving in life sciences, and how well systems are keeping pace with escalating demands. Along the way, we compare and contrast what’s going on in life sciences with other highly regulated sectors such as financial services, telecommunications and energy.

The research itself was designed by Freeform Dynamics and conducted via an online survey of 127 respondents hosted on The Register IT news site during Summer 2018.