COVID-19’s Impact on Scientific Engagement interview

This video provides an in-depth exploration of the profound and sudden impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientific engagement within the pharmaceutical industry, focusing specifically on the role of Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) and Medical Affairs organizations. The discussion, featuring Brian Harper, VP of Medical Content Strategy at Veeva Systems, frames the pandemic as the "ultimate digital restructure," forcing immediate and long-term changes in how pharmaceutical companies disseminate scientific data and interact with Healthcare Professionals (HCPs). The immediate effects included the near-total cessation of face-to-face engagements, canceled conferences and congresses, and a rapid pivot to virtual platforms like Zoom and Skype for scientific exchange.

The analysis highlights that this shift necessitated MSLs to quickly adopt new skills to ensure virtual interactions remained effective, efficient, and maintained continuity with previous field discussions. A key insight derived from an MSL Society study validated the rapid uptake of virtual platforms and revealed significant shifts in MSL activities. With reduced travel and in-office visits, MSLs dedicated more time to reviewing scientific literature to strengthen their therapeutic knowledge and supported other functions within Global Medical Affairs (GMA). Notably, Medical Information teams experienced a spike in activity and requests, particularly those related to COVID-19, leading to MSLs being redeployed to support these functions and manage increased demand.

A critical finding regarding virtual engagement was the duration of these interactions. MSLs were able to carry on conversations with HCPs ranging from five to thirty minutes. This finding has significant implications for content strategy, requiring organizations to fuel these engagements with highly effective, compliant, and correctly versioned content tailored for shorter, focused virtual interactions. Furthermore, the speakers noted that scientific experts (HCPs) demonstrated a newfound receptivity to virtual engagements, likely influenced by their own shift to telemedicine with patients. This suggests that virtual engagement is not a temporary fix but will become a permanent, strategic component of scientific and thought leader engagement plans moving forward, requiring companies to optimize their business processes accordingly.

The video also addresses the challenge of data dissemination in the absence of traditional medical conferences. The cancellation of these large-scale events forces organizations to develop non-traditional methods to get their data out to a broad audience in a meaningful way. This environment elevates the value of Medical Information teams, which remain the primary conduit for fielding specific medical requests. The need to staff and flex Medical Information teams—potentially by integrating MSLs or other GMA experts—to meet increased demand underscores the necessity for robust, scalable systems and processes to manage the influx of scientific inquiries and ensure timely, compliant responses.

Key Takeaways: • Digital Restructure Acceleration: The pandemic acted as the "ultimate digital restructure," immediately eliminating traditional face-to-face MSL engagements and forcing a rapid, industry-wide pivot to virtual platforms (Zoom, Skype) for scientific exchange. • New MSL Skill Requirements: MSLs must acquire and refine new skills specifically for delivering engaging and effective virtual interactions to maintain business continuity and ensure discussions with HCPs are efficient and productive. • Shift in MSL Focus: With reduced travel, MSLs are spending more time on internal activities, including deeper dives into scientific literature to strengthen therapeutic knowledge and supporting other Global Medical Affairs (GMA) functions. • Spike in Medical Information Demand: Medical Information teams saw a significant increase in call volume and requests, particularly those related to COVID-19, necessitating organizations to assess and potentially flex staffing models by leveraging MSLs to support the increased demand. • Optimizing Content for Virtual Engagement: The duration of virtual conversations (5 to 30 minutes) requires organizations to rethink content strategy, ensuring MSLs have access to compliant, high-quality, and appropriately versioned content tailored for shorter, highly focused digital interactions. • HCP Receptivity to Virtual: Scientific experts are now generally receptive to virtual engagements, suggesting a permanent shift in interaction preference, likely influenced by their own adoption of telemedicine. • Permanent Component of Strategy: Virtual engagement is not a temporary measure but will become a fixed, strategic component of future scientific engagement and thought leader plans, requiring long-term optimization of business processes. • Non-Traditional Data Dissemination: The cancellation of major congresses forces companies to explore and implement non-traditional, digital methods for disseminating critical scientific data to a broad audience effectively. • Value of Medical Information: The Medical Information function is critical in the new environment, serving as the primary channel for fielding specific medical requests and demonstrating its value by ensuring customers receive necessary information despite disruptions to traditional channels. • Systemic Optimization Required: Companies must look beyond immediate fixes and focus on optimizing their core business processes to integrate virtual engagement seamlessly, ensuring long-term efficiency and compliance in the new hybrid environment.

Tools/Resources Mentioned:

• Veeva Systems (Host and context provider)
• Zoom (Virtual engagement platform)
• Skype (Virtual engagement platform)
• MSL Society (Source of the study quantifying the impact on MSL activities)
• Veeva Commercial & Medical Summit Online (Upcoming industry event focused on medical affairs strategy)

Key Concepts:

• Scientific Engagement: The interaction between pharmaceutical company representatives (like MSLs) and Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) to exchange scientific and medical information.
• MSL (Medical Science Liaison): Field-based professionals within Medical Affairs who engage with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and HCPs to discuss scientific data and therapeutic areas.
• Global Medical Affairs (GMA): The department responsible for ensuring the scientific and medical integrity of a company's products, including managing MSLs and Medical Information.
• Medical Information: The team responsible for receiving, documenting, and responding to unsolicited requests for medical information from HCPs and consumers.
• Digital Restructure: The forced, rapid transformation of business models and processes toward digital methods, catalyzed by external events like the pandemic.