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Overqualified but Under-Skilled: How PhDs and Postdocs Can Pivot Into Regulatory Affairs Careers
A PhD to regulatory affairs career change is one of the most viable moves available to scientists who find the academic job market unable to absorb them. Vitae's 2026 tracking data shows that although 91% of UK doctoral graduates are employed, 41% remain in higher education roles, 93% of which are on fixed-term contracts. Regulatory affairs offers permanent, well-paid, office-based roles that value scientific rigour — but PhDs typically lack the submission-specific skills (CT
Aug 1912 min read
We Analysed 196 Regulatory Affairs Career Changers — Here's What Actually Predicts Success
A regulatory affairs career change success analysis of 196 course registrants found that only 16 people (8.2%) transitioned into a regulatory affairs role, and their profiles differ sharply from the wider group. This affects anyone considering a move into regulatory affairs — scientists, pharmacists, graduates and existing regulatory professionals. The data, collected between September 2024 and May 2026, shows that active job searching, existing regulatory or science experien
Aug 1810 min read
Big Pharma's Q2 2026 Profits Are In — But Are Patients Still Losing Out on Affordable Medicines?
Big Pharma's Q2 2026 earnings** season, which concluded in early August, showed record profits and raised full-year guidance across most major manufacturers, even as US patient affordability data worsened. This affects patients paying out of pocket in the United States, pharmaceutical companies navigating new pricing regulation, and regulatory affairs professionals working across market access and lifecycle management. It matters now because the Medicare Drug Price Negotiatio
Aug 1413 min read
Regulatory Affairs Professional Stuck at the Same Level? Here's Why Most Regulatory Affairs Training Isn't Getting You Promoted
Regulatory affairs career progression stalls for most professionals not because they lack knowledge, but because their training and CV never move beyond execution-level tasks. Associates and specialists who have completed generic CPD courses, webinars or self-study modules often still cannot demonstrate ownership of a Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) section, a variation classification decision, or a cross-region regulatory strategy — the exact evidence hiring panels
Aug 1011 min read
EMA OPEN Framework 2026 Update: What Pharma and Regulatory Affairs Teams Need to Know
The EMA OPEN framework (Opening Procedures at EMA to Non-EU Authorities) allows the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to run near-concurrent scientific assessments of certain medicines alongside seven non-EU regulatory partners, while each authority keeps full independence over its own decision. Originally piloted for COVID-19 medicines in December 2020, it was expanded to a wider range of therapeutic areas on 20 July 2023 and remains the operational basis for cross-border coll
Aug 511 min read
How Pharmacists Can Move Into the Pharmaceutical Industry Through Regulatory Affairs
Community and hospital pharmacy is one of the most intellectually demanding qualifications in healthcare. Pharmacists spend four to five years studying pharmacokinetics, drug interactions, pharmaceutical sciences, clinical practice and patient counselling. They emerge with a depth of pharmaceutical knowledge that most people in the healthcare system simply don’t have. And then, for a significant proportion, they spend their careers in environments that use only a fraction of
Jul 284 min read
From Hospital Pharmacy to the MHRA: How Jas Changed Her Career in Regulatory Affairs
Part of the Entry to Regulatory Success Stories Series Jas was a hospital pharmacist who felt stuck — until she discovered regulatory affairs. Here's how she made the leap to the MHRA, and what her journey can teach you. She Knew Medicines Inside Out. But the Industry Didn't Know Her. Jas had built her career in hospital pharmacy. Day after day, she worked at the intersection of medicines, patients, and clinical decision-making — reviewing prescriptions, counselling patie
Jun 198 min read
Twenty Years in Big Pharma — And Still Couldn't Get Into Regulatory Affairs Without Training
Part of the Entry to Regulatory Success Stories Series Forhad had spent over two decades inside three of the most respected organisations in pharmaceutical science — GSK, Charles River Laboratories, and AstraZeneca. He was a Senior Scientist. He had a biochemistry degree and a Master's in Pharmaceutical Sciences. He understood drug molecules from hit identification all the way through to clinical candidate. And when he decided he wanted to move into regulatory affairs, the in
Jun 1914 min read
From Cosmetics to Pharma in 2 Months: How One Regulatory Professional Closed the Experience Gap
Part of the Entry to Regulatory Success Stories Series Edite had years of regulatory experience in cosmetics — but that wasn't enough to break into OTC and pharmaceutical roles. This is the story of how structured training transformed her application, secured her a role at a skin health company spanning OTC, pharma, and cosmetics, and set her on a clear path to career growth. If you're facing the same wall, read on. The Experience Gap That Holds Regulatory Professionals Back
Jun 197 min read
“I Had 10 Years of Regulatory Experience — But I Couldn’t Get a Job in the UK. Here’s How I Changed That.”
Part of the Entry to Regulatory Success Stories Series Adeyemo Adebukola spent a decade building a regulatory affairs career in Africa before relocating to the UK. For three years, she applied for RA roles and kept reaching the interview stage — but never got the offer. This is the story of how she changed that, what she learned, and what it means for anyone in a similar position Three Years. Countless Applications. Something Had to Change. If you work in regulatory affairs a
Jun 199 min read
"It Was Life Changing": How a Pharmacy Dispenser With a Biomedical Sciences Degree Broke Into Medical Devices Regulatory Affairs in 1 Month
Part of the Entry to Regulatory Success Stories Series Ms. T.A. had a Biomedical Sciences degree, healthcare experience, and the drive to build a serious career — but she was stuck in a pharmacy dispensing role. After multiple interviews and no offers, she enrolled on the Entry to Regulatory course. Within one month, she had her first regulatory affairs job at a medical devices company. She is now a Regulatory Affairs Manager. This is her story — and what it means for anyone
Jun 1910 min read