This workshop equips healthcare professionals with practical strategies to safeguard pharmaceutical and clinical trial data against emerging quantum threats.
A phase III clinical trial represents 10 to 15 years of research and development investment, often exceeding $1 billion. Every submission to the FDA, EMA, or MHRA; every data-sharing agreement with a contract research organisation; every secure file transfer to an academic partner uses the same RSA and ECC encryption that Shor's algorithm will eventually break. Nation-state actors pursuing harvest-now-decrypt-later strategies do not need to decrypt pharmaceutical data today. They only need to collect it and wait. The World Economic Forum assessed in September 2025 that pharma and life sciences face a uniquely acute HNDL exposure because of long data lifecycles and the value of proprietary IP to foreign state-backed pharmaceutical programmes.
This workshop addresses the pharmaceutical and clinical research security problem as a distinct operational challenge, separate from the general healthcare cryptography migration. It covers the specific regulatory frameworks (21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, GxP computerised system requirements) that govern clinical trial data integrity, and works through the multi-party supply chain problem: how do you impose PQC requirements on a CRO partner without contractual authority, and how do you sequence migration across a 40-vendor clinical data ecosystem? Participants leave with a data classification matrix for quantum risk, a supply chain assessment framework, and a board-ready IP exposure quantification model.
Half-day session structure with a scheduled break. Content is configurable to your organisation's trial portfolio, CRO relationships, and regulatory jurisdiction.
| # | Session | Topics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Pharma HNDL Threat What the WEF September 2025 assessment means for your organisation | |
| 2 | Clinical Trial Data Classification Exercise Mapping your highest-exposure datasets |
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| Break, after 45 min | ||
| 3 | Regulatory Deep Dive 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and GxP data integrity under PQC |
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| 4 | Supply Chain Security Extending PQC requirements to CROs and academic partners |
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| 5 | Board-Ready IP Exposure Model Quantifying pharmaceutical quantum risk in financial terms |
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| 6 | Q&A and Implementation Planning | |
Workshops are designed and delivered by QSECDEF in collaboration with sector specialists. All facilitators have direct experience in both quantum technologies and healthcare systems.
Workshop design and delivery
QSECDEF brings world-leading expertise in post-quantum cryptography, quantum computing strategy, and defence-grade security assessment. Our advisory membership spans 600+ organisations and 1,200+ professionals working at the intersection of quantum technologies and critical infrastructure security.
Domain expertise and clinical validation
Healthcare-specific workshops are co-delivered with sector specialists who bring direct operational experience in NHS trusts, private hospital groups, pharmaceutical R&D, and medical device manufacturing. This ensures workshop content is grounded in regulatory, clinical, and operational realities.
Sessions are configured around your organisation's trial portfolio, CRO relationships, and regulatory jurisdiction. Get in touch to discuss requirements and schedule a date.
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