Accelerating Global IDMP Adoption: Key Takeaways from the Pistoia Alliance IDMP-O Community Meeting

On December 3, 2025, the Pistoia Alliance hosted a the Community of Interest meeting focused on the Collaborative Implementation of IDMP Standards. Bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders—from regulatory bodies to pharmaceutical giants and technology experts—the event served as both a retrospective on the past four years and a strategic roadmap for the future of regulatory data management.

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If you missed the session, here is a retrospective on the key themes and discussions that defined this milestone meeting.

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A Milestone for the IDMP-O Community

The session, hosted by Aditya Tyagi (IDMP-O Project Manager at Pistoia Alliance), kicked off with a powerful recap of the IDMP-O (IDMP Ontology) journey. Over the last four years, this collaboration has evolved from a conceptual framework into a robust community driving tangible progress in semantic interoperability.

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The consensus was clear: IDMP is no longer just a compliance requirement; it is a foundational element for the digital transformation of the life sciences industry. The progress made in defining and implementing these ontologies is a testament to what can be achieved when competitors become collaborators.

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Bringing Stakeholders to the Table

The highlight of the event was the interactive panel discussion, which underscored the necessity of a strong community to accelerate adoption. The conversation was unique because it bridged the gap between those creating the data, those managing the technology, and those regulating the industry.

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We were delighted to welcome Isabel Chícharo from the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Her participation highlighted a critical shift: regulators and industry are moving toward a partnership model, working together to ensure that global standards are practical, implementable, and effective.

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The panel featured a powerhouse lineup of industry leaders:

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• Sheila Elz (Boehringer Ingelheim) and Gang Xue (Johnson & Johnson) provided the pharmaceutical perspective, discussing the internal challenges and immense value of harmonizing data across global organizations.
• Frits Stulp (Implement Consulting Group) and Dr. Heiner Oberkampf (ACCURIDS) brought the technical and strategic implementation view, focusing on how ontology bridges the gap between siloed systems.

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Why Community Matters

The recurring theme of the webinar was that IDMP cannot be solved in isolation.

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The complexity of medicinal product data requires a "village" to manage. The panel explored why the IDMP-O community is essential for:

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1. Reducing Redundancy: Sharing best practices prevents companies from "reinventing the wheel" regarding data mapping.
2. Ensuring Interoperability: An ontology is only useful if everyone speaks the same language; this community ensures that the dialect remains consistent across the industry.
3. Direct Feedback Loops: Having direct lines of communication between the industry and regulators (like the EMA) accelerates the resolution of ambiguities in the standards.

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Looking Ahead

As we wrapped up the session, the energy was forward-looking. The IDMP-O collaboration is set to expand its impact, moving from definition to widespread adoption. The commitment shown by the panelists and the attendees confirms that the industry is ready to leverage these standards not just for compliance, but to drive data-driven innovation in patient safety and drug development.

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A huge thank you to our host, Aditya Tyagi, and the panelists for an insightful conversation. The journey of IDMP adoption is a marathon, not a sprint, but with this community, we are running it together.