Marketing in life sciences comes with more oversight, more risk, and more steps than most industries. Every claim needs substantiation, every asset requires approval, and every channel—whether digital, print, or social—must meet strict global regulations. Add siloed teams and disconnected systems, and it’s no surprise that promotional review becomes a bottleneck.

As content demands grow, so does the pressure on marketing, regulatory, and medical affairs teams to move faster without compromising compliance. But speed and accuracy can’t happen in spreadsheets and inboxes. The need for purpose-built life sciences marketing compliance software has never been greater.

This guide explores the core challenges that make promotional review so difficult—and more importantly, what to look for in a solution. If you’re evaluating software, these are the criteria that should guide your decision.

The real compliance challenges holding teams back

For life sciences marketing teams, getting content approved is rarely a straight line. It’s a maze of regulatory expectations, fragmented processes, and constant revision cycles. When the systems in place aren’t built for the complexity of the industry, even simple assets can take weeks to get through review.

Regulatory hurdles

Compliance with the FDA, EFPIA, and other global authorities means every claim must be accurate, balanced, and supported by evidence. But staying on top of evolving regulations across markets is time-consuming and error-prone—especially without a centralized system.

Slow & inefficient review processes

Many teams still rely on manual tracking, PDFs, and email chains to move content through review. This slows down approvals and increases the risk of versioning issues, missed feedback, and duplicated effort. For high-volume teams, that’s a recipe for delays.

Collaboration barriers

Marketing, legal, and regulatory stakeholders often operate in silos—different tools, timelines, and priorities. Without a shared system for collaboration, feedback loops stretch out, marketing compliance issues are caught too late, and go-to-market timelines slip.

Audit & version control issues

Without a structured platform, tracking changes and maintaining a full review history is nearly impossible. That makes it difficult to answer a basic question during audits: who approved this, and when?

The takeaway? Most compliance issues don’t come from the content—they come from the process. That’s exactly where the right marketing compliance software can make the biggest impact.

How to choose the right life sciences marketing compliance software

Choosing the right marketing compliance software means balancing regulatory rigor, day-to-day usability, and long-term scalability. Here’s how to approach the decision with clarity and confidence.

Assess your organization’s needs

Start by mapping out how your team actually works. Are you a lean team looking for agility, or a large organization coordinating complex reviews across regions and functions? Consider how many reviewers are involved, how often content is submitted, and whether your marketing efforts span multiple product lines or markets.

Your company size, approval complexity, and level of cross-functional collaboration should guide what kind of solution will serve you best—whether that’s a focused, nimble platform or a broader enterprise suite.

Look for key features that directly impact workflow

The right marketing compliance software should simplify your process. Prioritize features that drive efficiency:

• Automated workflow routing that eliminates manual handoffs
• Audit-ready tracking for compliance visibility
• Version control to avoid errors and confusion
• Integration capabilities with DAMs, CRMs, and other systems you already use

Check for claims and reference management capabilities

Promotional claims are the core of compliant life sciences marketing—but many teams still manage them manually. Look for platforms that let you store, organize, and access pre-approved claims and references directly within the review system.

This functionality reduces rework, speeds up content creation, and ensures teams are using accurate, approved messaging. If the software includes claims versioning and linkage tracking, even better—you’ll save time during both review and audits.

Ensure GxP validation and regulatory alignment

For any life sciences organization, regulatory alignment is foundational. The platform you choose must support GxP validation requirements and provide the documentation you need to demonstrate compliance to regulatory bodies.

Ask vendors if their platform is GxP-validated, how often they complete validation, and what support they offer for audits. If your content review process is subject to inspection, your software should make that process easier.

Support digital content in its native format

Digital content is a given, but too many teams still review it as static PDFs. That creates blind spots, especially for interactive components like rotators, embedded links, and mobile experiences.

Look for a platform that supports web-based annotation and review so stakeholders can interact with content as it actually appears in-market. This not only improves review accuracy—it saves time, simplifies auditing, and ensures nothing gets missed.

Compare cost vs. value

Don’t just look at the price tag—look at the time saved, the risk reduced, and the flexibility gained. Enterprise-grade tools may offer depth but often come with added complexity, higher costs, and longer implementation times.

Lean platforms may offer a better ROI if they give you the core functionality you need without forcing you into rigid workflows or bloated ecosystems. The goal isn’t more software, but more effective review.

Evaluate vendor support & scalability

Technology is only part of the solution. The right partner will help you implement best practices, train your team, and adapt the platform as your needs change. Look for providers that offer:

• In-house onboarding and training
• Change management support
• Ongoing access to compliance expertise
• A product roadmap aligned with trends in life sciences marketing

Your marketing compliance needs will evolve. Make sure your platform—and your vendor—can evolve with you.

Future-proofing compliance: investing in the tools that move you forward

In life sciences marketing, compliance is an ongoing responsibility. Regulations evolve. Teams grow. Content volumes multiply. To keep pace, your promotional review system has to do more than meet today’s needs—it has to scale with your business and adapt to what’s next.

The right marketing compliance software will streamline approvals, reduce manual work, and surface insights that help you continuously improve. It gives marketing, regulatory, and legal teams a shared system that simplifies collaboration while ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. Ultimately, future-proofing your compliance process means choosing tools built for life sciences, designed for efficiency, and capable of growing with you. 

Explore how Vodori helps life sciences marketing teams stay ahead—faster approvals, fewer bottlenecks, and compliance built to scale.

If you’re looking for a structured way to evaluate your options, download our Promotional Review System Evaluation Template to compare platform options and choose the right tool for your team.