The Quest for a Global Transparency Solution, One Country at a Time
In today’s increasingly complex regulatory environment, where transparency regulations are becoming more expansive and international in scope, Chief Compliance Officers across the Life Sciences industry face mounting pressure. From boardrooms to field teams, the expectation is clear: build a global transparency program that captures, reports and ensures compliance across all markets.
On paper, the solution often seems straightforward: establishing a unified global transparency disclosure platform. But in practice, the path to global compliance is anything but simple.
The Challenge with “Going Global” All at Once
At first glance, a single, global platform may promise consistency, efficiency and scalability. However, those who have ventured down this path often find that reality rarely lives up to that promise.
The truth is that most organizations aren’t starting from scratch. Affiliates outside the United States (OUS) already have localized systems and processes in place tailored to the specific regulatory nuances of their markets. These existing frameworks vary in maturity and formality, but they all share one thing in common: they were built to meet a local business model.
Attempting to standardize across that diversity, especially without direct operational control, can introduce significant risk. Compliance leaders often find themselves managing vendors they do not directly oversee, building processes for systems they don’t control and relying on affiliate trust they haven’t yet earned.
Some of the most common barriers include:
- Local disclosure requirements that follow different cadences and formats
- Incomplete or incompatible data collection methods
- Systems (e.g., finance, T&E, CRM) not configured for facilitating or enabling transparency reporting
- Inconsistent use of nomenclature, terminology or transfer of value categories
- Cultural and regulatory nuances that shape affiliate processes
- Service level agreements with third-party vendors that do not obligate them to support the company’s transparency reporting requirements
- Varying levels of compliance maturity and awareness across affiliates
Taken together, these challenges can, and often do, lead to delayed rollouts, rising costs, missed deadlines and, in some cases, outright failure.
A More Strategic Approach, Start Small to Scale Smart
Rather than pursue a full-scale launch that touches dozens of markets simultaneously, a growing number of compliance leaders are finding success in a more measured approach, one that prioritizes progress over perfection.
This is where MedPro’s philosophy comes in: start small, prove value and expand with intention.
Launching in one or two countries, ideally where conditions are favorable or where identified risk demands, allows organizations to:
- Test vendor capabilities and program design in a controlled setting
- Identify and address real-world friction points before broader rollout
- Build a repeatable framework for success
- Establish critical relationships and trust with local affiliates
- Contain financial and reputational risk
- Gain accurate metrics on data volumes and quality
This thoughtful approach not only improves the chances of initial success but creates a foundation of credibility that accelerates future rollouts.
In our experience, the most effective programs often begin in 1 to 3 countries where leadership alignment, system readiness and compliance awareness are strongest. These early wins become the model, both technically and culturally, for what success looks like. Each new country added benefits from the lessons learned previously, allowing the program to scale faster and with fewer surprises. We consistently find that organizations overestimate both the volume and quality of the data they have. It’s often less extensive and far more fragmented than expected. By starting with a narrow scope of countries, compliance teams gain a clearer understanding of their true data landscape, making it easier to build scalable and sustainable processes that support long-term success.
Scaling with Purpose, Not Pressure
It’s important to recognize that many affiliates, especially in emerging markets, may lack formal systems or established disclosure procedures. Starting smaller gives these teams time to align with broader organizational goals, receive proper training and prepare systems without major disruption.
It also gives compliance leaders the opportunity to negotiate standard legal agreements (SLAs), standardize nomenclature, configure systems for data capture and embed governance protocols, all before those gaps become liabilities on a global scale.
This phased approach helps organizations retain flexibility. If a vendor underperforms or new requirements emerge mid-rollout, the organization has the room to adapt without being locked into a full global deployment.
Conclusion, One Country at a Time Isn’t Slower, It’s Smarter
Global transparency compliance isn’t a switch you flip; it’s a capability to be gained. It requires strategy, influence and experience. And it demands an approach that respects the complexity of local operations while aligning with global compliance goals.
At MedPro, we’ve seen firsthand how one country at a time isn’t about limiting ambition: it’s about delivering on it. Thoughtfully. Sustainably. Successfully.
Because in the end, building a global program isn’t just about the platform; it’s about the people, the process and the proof that it works.
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