The Real Value of Medical Affairs

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How to push Medical Affairs to the next level of effectiveness  

Are Medical Affairs (MA) teams doing enough to satisfy doctors? What specific improvements to information and interactions would elevate MA to that elusive next level of engagement? Ultimately, what makes doctors want to talk to Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs)?

The Real Value of Medical Affairs covers both sides of the equation with views from 10 senior MA leaders as well as physicians. Read it for the blueprint for this crucial relationship.

“What we've seen so far is that the internal gap analysis really lacks the rigour and the depth that is needed from a medical affairs standpoint. The physician, patient and payer are intricately linked together."
Usman Iqbal, Senior Medical Affairs Leader

Top Takeaways and Key Questions

• One size doesn’t fit all: What, when and how do doctors want their MA support? Explore opportunities for more nuanced, multi-faceted strategies to help your relationships thrive.
• Patient pressure: What tools do doctors need to support their patients? Is pharma providing enough to help ease the transition from trials into the real world?
• Know what is valued and what isn’t: MA may be one of the busiest areas in pharma but is it spending its time on the right things?
• Channel choices: Is face-to-face still best? How do physicians feel about other mediums such as digital?
• Two-way flow: MA is the conduit between doctors and pharma – but how well is information shared? What is the biggest change doctors want to see?

Experts Interviewed for This Report

• Charles Baum, MD, MS, FACG, Vice President, US Medical Affairs, Takeda Pharmaceuticals.
• Usman Iqbal, MD, MPH, MBA, Senior Medical Affairs Leader, Neuroscience, Global Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca.
• Robert Kaper, Senior Vice President Medical & Scientific Affairs, AMAG Pharmaceuticals.
• Peg Crowley-Nowick, PhD, President, Zipher Medical Affairs.
• Michel A. Halim, MD, Medical Affairs Manager & Head of Drug Safety, EVA Pharma for Pharmaceutical & Medical Appliances, Egypt.
• Medical Affairs Lead, Top 10 Pharma Company, UK.
• Associate Director Global Medical Affairs, Medical Education, Top 15 Pharma Company, US.
• Linda Traylor, PhD, Senior Director, Scientific & Medical Affairs, Biodesix.
• Executive Director and Head of Medical Science Liaisons, Specialist Pharma Company, US.
• Medical Affairs Advisor, Top 10 Pharma Company, EU.

Content Highlights

• Developing a KOL strategy
• Factors to consider at the planning stage
• The changing healthcare landscape shapes the engagement plan
• KOL Identification and segmentation
• Planning for engagement
• Research to understand needs
• Capability building
• Challenges to KOL engagement
• Access continues to be a problem
• Fostering good reputations
• Important factors for building relationships
• Perceptions of the value of medical affairs services
• Accurate, unbiased and relevant information
• Medical inquiries and off-label use
• Information and support to improve patient care and outcomes
• Staying up to date with the latest clinical trial and scientific information
• Research projects and medical education
• Advisory boards and company-sponsored scientific programmes
• Physician views on other medical affairs services
• Support for speaker programmes and conferences
• Facilitating the coordination and integration of different types of knowledge
• Interaction media
• Frequency of engagement
• Balancing quality of interactions with frequency
• Physicians’ views on frequency of interaction
• Staff turnover and maintaining continuity
• Measuring performance
• Key performance indicators
• Incorporating KOL perception into KPIs
• Potential areas for improvement
• Providing real value to KOLs
• Providing physicians with tools to meet patient needs
• Challenging pharma company structure

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