Modular Content in Pharma: Faster Reviews, Higher Reuse, Real Adoption

**What Modular Really Means in Pharma**

Modular content is not the same as templates. It’s about building a system of pre-approved, reusable modules—copy, claims, visuals, references, and disclaimers—that can be assembled into materials across multiple channels like email, CLM, landing pages, or banners.

Modules = building blocks, approved once, reused many times.
Templates = layouts that organise modules.
Variables = personalisation tokens (e.g. HCP name).

Without pre-approval and governance, modular becomes just a more expensive version of copy-paste.

People: How to Prepare the Organisation for Change

The most successful implementations start with People. Rolling out modular content is not just a technical shift. It’s a change in mindset and behaviour. Success starts with people.

Executive support: Modular requires an up-front investment in marketing approach for MLR payoff. Without clear sponsorship, it will stall. Leaders must articulate the vision, allocate resources, and reinforce why modular matters across marketing, medical, legal, regulatory, and IT.
Cross-functional representation: Every function that touches content—brand, regulatory, medical, digital, agencies—needs a seat at the table. Otherwise, gaps in knowledge and ownership will block adoption.
Empowered stakeholders: Teams need decision-makers, not just participants. If approvals constantly bounce up the hierarchy, modular loses momentum.
Change management: Modular content introduces new workflow considerations. MLR reviewers need to adapt their approach - instead of full MLR reviews of individual modules, they should focus on ensuring internal consistency between copy and media within each module. Fair balance and other regulatory requirements must be built into the channel templates and guidelines from the start. Brand teams must shift to briefing for modular components rather than complete campaigns. Local teams must trust global content as their foundation.‍
Continuous training & enablement: One-off feedback won’t work. Modular requires bite-sized, role-specific feedback processes refreshed regularly. Teams need to see how modules are built, approved, and reused—over and over until it becomes second nature.

♦ Lesson learned: Without broad buy-in and MLR engagement from day one, modular risks being dismissed as “extra work.”

Process: Build the Right Foundations

Before piloting or scaling, pharma teams need to set the ground rules. Process is what makes modular efficient and compliant.

Claims library: The backbone of modular. Approved claims, referenced and tagged, ensure speed and consistency. Without it, reuse breaks down.
Module library: A structured repository of reusable content elements—claims, visuals, disclaimers, blocks of text. This is where efficiency becomes tangible. Start small and let the library grow organically by harvesting modules from existing content.
Taxonomy and metadata: Modular fails if content can’t be found. Define a tagging system that makes modules searchable across functions and markets.
Governance rules: Decide what can (and cannot) be modularised. Not every piece of content should be broken down. Focus on the 40–60% of content that brings the most reuse.
OKRs, KPIs and iteration: Tie goals to measurable outcomes—reduced review cycles, faster time-to-market, increased reuse. Treat modular as an iterative process, not a one-off project.

♦ Lesson learned: Teams often feel they're doing "double work," but content reuse already happens - teams just don't recognize or trust it, causing unnecessary full reviews each time. Well-defined modules with clear approval histories build trust and reduce redundant review cycles. Markets still need to deliver campaigns while building modular assets. Mitigate this by extracting modules from existing content and leveraging agency support.

Technology: Empower Teams with the Right Tools

Technology is not the starting point, but it is the enabler. The right tools make modular adoption sustainable.

Single authoring environment: The fewer systems required, the better. Each additional tool adds integration complexity and cost. Choose an authoring solution that covers multiple channels.
Ease of use: If the platform is too complex, adoption will fail. Tools should be intuitive so brand and medical teams can assemble content without specialist support.
Support and scalability: Teams need ongoing vendor support, clear SLAs, and the confidence that the tool can evolve with future needs (new channels, automation, AI).
Compliance built in: Integration with regulatory systems is critical. Pre-checks, audit trails, and governance must be native to the workflow.

♦ Lesson learned: Tools only succeed if agencies and local teams actually use them. Buy-in is as important as functionality.

Embed and Scale: From Pilot to Everyday Practice

With people, process, and technology aligned, modular can move from pilot projects to daily operations.

Choose the right pilot: Start with a brand open to experimentation, in a channel with high content velocity (email, banners), and clear leadership support. Select content that is reused often, such as claims or value messages.
Harvest and seed: Use existing brand assets to build the first claims and module library. Demonstrate early wins by repurposing what’s already there.
Co-create with markets: Shift away from the “global pushes, local resists” model. Instead, involve local teams in co-creating modules that are relevant from the start.
Measure adoption: Track how many assets are built from modules, how often modules are reused, and how many cycles are saved in review. Adoption is the clearest proof of impact.
Scale into a content factory: Once pilots prove value, build a repeatable framework where global creates modules, locals adapt them, and technology automates the assembly.

♦ Lesson learned: Training must remain agile. Overly rigid documentation slows teams down. Practical, updated guidance keeps momentum.

Where AI Fits

AI has a role to play, but only once modular foundations are in place.

Automation: Tagging, metadata assignment, translation memory, and rules-based assembly.
Checks: Flagging duplicate claims, spotting missing references, and ensuring consistent language before submission.
Analytics: Measuring which modules perform best across channels and markets.

AI won’t replace governance or adoption—it accelerates what’s already working.

The Outcomes That Matter

Modular content should be measured by outcomes, not intentions. The three that count most:

Fewer review cycles
- Teams optimising their workflows cut cycle times by up to ~57%.
- Why: reviewers validate the assembly of pre-approved modules instead of re-checking every line.
Higher content reuse
- Target: >30% YoY growth in reuse across markets.
- Global creates once → local teams adapt instead of rebuilding.
Faster time-to-market
- The metric that leadership values most.
- Every week saved in approvals increases campaign impact.

FAQ

Does modular really reduce review time?
Yes—by approving modules once and reusing them, reviewers cut cycle times significantly.

What if we don’t use Veeva?
The same approach applies regardless of platform. Modules can be stored and reused in a CAS (Content Authoring Solution), DAM, MLR tool, or internal repository. The principle is pre-approve, assemble, measure.

How does modular work with Veeva PromoMats?
PromoMats includes Content Modules that enable teams to pre-approve and reuse blocks across assets. Shaman integrates directly, so global and local teams can assemble materials from those modules inside the system.

Where does AI fit?
AI can support modular by spotting duplicate text, checking references, or flagging missing disclaimers before submission. But it cannot replace governance or build the modular system itself.

What’s the difference between modular and templates?
Templates are layouts. Modules are approved content. You need both, but only modules reduce review time.

Conclusion

‍Modular content is not a trend—it’s a system for working smarter. By combining pre-approval, governance, and measurable reuse, pharma teams can reduce review time, increase efficiency, and accelerate launches.

Pharma doesn’t need more pilots. It needs results. The teams that succeed with modular are changing how content is created, approved, and reused every day.

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