AI in pharma: Practical use cases transforming research, regulatory and medical affairs

Drawing from her experience leading global AI initiatives at MSD and her work with TOPRA, Sarah presents a practical and detailed walkthrough of how AI is already reshaping R&D, regulatory affairs, clinical operations, and medical information — and what is required for safe, ethical, and effective adoption.

Sarah explains why AI is no longer optional for organisations facing rising R&D costs, longer development cycles, fragmented regulatory requirements, and rapidly growing volumes of multimodal data. She then shares real-world use cases, including:

She also outlines the current and emerging regulatory landscape, emphasising the need for a risk-based approach, strong governance, human oversight, clear documentation, and output explainability. These safeguards ensure AI enhances product quality, regulatory compliance, and patient safety.

Her core message is clear: AI is not just an operational tool — it is a strategic enabler. To harness its full value, pharma organisations must invest in technology, people, training, cross-functional collaboration, and responsible frameworks for implementation.

This presentation provides actionable insights and real examples that teams can begin applying immediately.