The pharmaceutical industry continues to remain concerned about digital privacy and data security despite growing importance of digital transformation in post-COVID-19 world.

GlobalData conducted a survey on pharmaceutical industry professionals to identify the main concerns associated with digital transformation in 2019 and 2020.

digital privacy and data security continue to remain top concernA Closer Look at Concerns, 2019 vs. 2020

The survey found that digital privacy and data security continue to remain the primary concern for the industry in 2020 albeit at a lower rate.

In 2020, around 35% of the respondents opined that digital privacy and data security is their central concern. The figure was 42% in 2019.

The concerns regarding unclear return on investment jumped from 15% in 2019 to 23% in 2020.

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In the same time period, the concerns regarding increased cyber risks remained largely stable, decreasing by one percentage point to 13% in 2020.

Around 11% of the respondents feared never-ending change due to digital transformation as the top concern in 2020. The figure was 8% a year ago.

The concerns regarding evolving regulatory requirements declined from 17% in 2019 to 10% in 2020.

Around 4% of the respondents stated other concerns in 2020. This was 3% in 2019.

The responses are based on Digital Transformation and Emerging Technology in the Healthcare Industry, 2020 survey ​fielded between 17 September 2020 and 6 October 2020.