The Evolution of Medical Affairs: Considerations for the MSL

This video, presented by Robert Groebel, Vice President for Global Medical Strategy at Veeva Systems, provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of Medical Affairs and the critical considerations for the Medical Science Liaison (MSL) organization. The central theme is the drastic increase in the demand for complex medical information, driven primarily by the rapid evolution of pharmaceutical pipelines, particularly in specialized areas like rare diseases and Specialty Care. Groebel establishes that the need for deep, scientifically rigorous information is far greater today than even a few years ago, necessitating a shift in how MSLs operate and demonstrate their value.

The presentation highlights that healthcare professionals (HCPs) are explicitly looking to Medical Affairs and the MSL organization to fulfill this growing information need. To meet this expectation, the MSL must provide a broad therapeutic knowledge base and deliver differentiated, comprehensive insights. Groebel references a 2013 survey by the Boston Consulting Group involving oncologists and hematologists, which indicated that their need for medical information from pharmaceutical companies was increasing due to the complexity of new interventions. Crucially, physicians view the MSL as a peer and seek true peer-to-peer interaction, demanding comprehensive responses that are not narrowly focused on a single intervention but cover a broad therapeutic area.

A significant portion of the discussion focuses on the imperative for Medical Affairs to demonstrate quantifiable value, both to the external medical community and internally to the broader organization. This value is generated through developing a deep understanding of the disease state, engaging in external advice and consultation, and effectively translating that external intelligence into actionable opportunities for the larger pharmaceutical enterprise. Furthermore, MSLs are responsible for creating awareness of specific interventions through scientific support, education, CME, publications, and direct peer-to-peer engagement. The ultimate measure of success, Groebel argues, lies in the ability of Medical Affairs to communicate the impact of these efforts—specifically, whether they are successfully "closing the information need" and making it easier for HCPs to make informed choices about treatments. This shift requires MSLs to focus not just on activity, but on the measurable impact of every engagement.

Key Takeaways: • The demand for complex medical information has grown drastically, primarily driven by the evolution of pharmaceutical pipelines focusing on highly specialized areas such as rare diseases and Specialty Care. • Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are increasingly turning to the Medical Science Liaison (MSL) organization as the preferred source for delivering complex, high-value scientific information. • The expectation for MSLs is to provide a broad therapeutic base of knowledge and deliver differentiated, comprehensive insights that span across the therapeutic area, moving beyond a narrow focus on a single intervention. • Physicians recognize the MSL as a peer and require authentic, open, peer-to-peer dialogue, underscoring the necessity for MSLs to maintain high scientific credibility and communication skills. • Medical Affairs must prioritize demonstrating quantifiable value, both externally to the medical community (by closing information gaps) and internally to the pharmaceutical organization (by providing actionable insights). • A critical function of Medical Affairs is translating external advice and consultation—gathered through MSL engagement—into strategic opportunities for the larger organization, influencing R&D, commercial, and clinical strategies. • Creating awareness of new interventions requires structured scientific support, including formalized education, Continuing Medical Education (CME), publications, and targeted peer-to-peer engagement. • The effectiveness of MSL efforts must be measured by their impact on closing the information gap and facilitating informed treatment choices for healthcare professionals, moving the focus from activity metrics to outcome metrics. • The role of Medical Affairs is evolving to be a strategic partner that helps create a competitive advantage by ensuring timely, accurate, and comprehensive scientific information reaches the necessary stakeholders. • The visibility and strategic importance of Medical Affairs continue to increase, requiring organizations to continuously evaluate and enhance the effectiveness and knowledge base of their MSL teams.

Tools/Resources Mentioned:

• Veeva Systems: The context of the presentation is set by the speaker's role at Veeva Systems, a key platform provider for pharmaceutical commercial and medical operations.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG): Reference is made to a 2013 BCG survey of oncologists and hematologists regarding their growing need for medical information from Pharma.

Key Concepts:

• Medical Affairs: The department responsible for communicating scientific and medical information to external stakeholders, ensuring appropriate use of products, and gathering external insights.
• MSL (Medical Science Liaison): Field-based scientific experts who engage in peer-to-peer dialogue with key opinion leaders (KOLs) and HCPs.
• Differentiated Insights: Information gathered or delivered by MSLs that provides unique, high-value perspectives not readily available through standard commercial channels or publications.
• Closing the Information Need: A metric or goal for Medical Affairs, signifying the successful provision of necessary scientific data to HCPs, enabling them to make informed decisions and reducing knowledge gaps related to complex treatments.