Regulated data migration: the risks pharma leaders consistently underestimate

Regulated data migration risk is reduced when reconciliation, audit trail, exception handling, source-system freeze, mock cutovers, validation evidence, and named rollback thresholds are designed into the programme from the start rather than treated as late-stage technical tasks.

• Reconciliation is the proof point, not an administrative afterthought
• Mock cutovers expose timing, ownership, and data quality risks early
• Validation evidence must connect source data, transformation logic, and target outcomes
• Rollback criteria should be explicit, tested, and owned by named decision-makers