ZS Named a Leader in IDC MarketScape for Life Science R&D RWD and RWE

ZS, a global management consulting and technology firm, has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Life Science R&D Real-World Data (RWD) and Real-World Evidence (RWE) for Data Platforms, Technology Solutions, and Consulting Services. This recognition, announced on September 14, 2026, follows ZS's previous designation as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Life Sciences R&D Strategic Consulting Services.

The IDC MarketScape evaluates organizations based on their capabilities and strategies related to RWE, data, platforms, technologies, and consulting services. According to Rohan Fernando, managing principal of ZS's life sciences R&D and medical practice, "Life sciences organizations are increasingly seeking connected approaches to evidence and decision-making across the product life cycle. As the industry seeks to generate greater value from real-world data, organizations need better ways to turn evidence into action."

ZS's strengths, as noted by the IDC MarketScape, include its ability to scale its integrated Medical & Evidence practice, which delivers connected medical, RWE, and Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) strategies to accelerate decision-making. The company also connects evidence generation to downstream dissemination, ensuring that the data generated supports publications, congress strategies, and field medical execution.

ZS offers a range of proprietary tools and platforms, including ZAIDYN Medical, which features modules like Opinion Leader Intelligence (OLI), Care Gap Intelligence (CGI), Scientific Medical Intelligence (SMI), Medical Customer Engagement (MCE) for medical science liaisons (MSLs), and Patient Outcomes Impact (POI) analysis. Additionally, ZS's AI-enabled Patient Radar platform identifies hard-to-find rare-disease patients and physicians. In a notable case, ZS helped accurately diagnose 26 new patients in 12 months for a rare disease organization.

In Europe, ZS Data Nexus is a proprietary, regulatory-grade RWD access platform, the first RWE solution to achieve Europrivacy certification. ZS reports a 90% Net Promoter Score (NPS) and 97% client retention for its RWD/RWE work. The company's most differentiated asset is the digital Integrated Evidence Planning (IEP) capability, delivered through ZS Evidence Pro. With over 250 IEPs delivered, ZS reports that IEP development time was reduced from 4-5 months per IEP to generating over 30 IEPs in 10 weeks, with a 75% acceptance rate for over 20 protocol recommendations.

As life sciences organizations face growing pressure to generate evidence that supports regulatory, medical, and commercial decisions, the ability to connect strategy, data, technology, and scientific expertise has become increasingly important. ZS remains focused on helping clients turn real-world data into decision-grade evidence and accelerate impact across the product life cycle.