Season 1 Episode 1: Navigating the New Medical Affairs Landscape

This video provides an in-depth exploration of the evolving Medical Affairs landscape, focusing on its transformation into a more strategic, data-driven function within the pharmaceutical industry. Hosted by Christoph Bug, VP Global Medical Strategy at Veeva Systems, the episode features discussions with industry experts on critical topics such as measuring medical impact, overcoming compliance barriers, and adapting the role of Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) to meet increasing demands for scientific exchange. The overarching theme emphasizes the urgent need for Medical Affairs to leverage data and technology to demonstrate value and secure its strategic position.

The initial segment delves into the necessity and challenges of measuring medical impact, featuring Zeinab Sulaiman and Toni Buron. They discuss why organizations need impact metrics—to justify resources, demonstrate value to commercial partners, and enable data-driven decision-making. While there's a strong consensus on the need for such metrics, a significant gap exists between aspiration and implementation. Ideal metrics, they suggest, should move beyond mere activity levels to focus on improving patient journeys and outcomes, fostering engagement, and aligning with healthcare professionals. A key insight shared is that "perfect is the enemy of good" when it comes to data, advocating for the use of 80-90% reliable data for internal guidance rather than getting trapped in the pursuit of absolute precision.

The discussion then shifts to compliance concerns, often cited as a major blocker for measuring medical impact. Compliance consultants Rina Newton and Caroline Kelly clarify that these concerns are largely "myths" or perceptions, rather than actual regulatory prohibitions. They highlight that internal company SOPs and a general fear of non-compliance often create stricter boundaries than actual legislation or codes. The experts emphasize that medical affairs should first define its strategic and operational plans, then build metrics backward from the value it aims to deliver. They also address medical-commercial collaboration, noting that inefficiencies and tensions often stem from a lack of trust and communication, rather than strict compliance rules.

Finally, the episode examines the changing role of Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) with Maja Beilmann-Schramm, a global field medical excellence leader. She notes two trends: increasing demand from physicians for scientific exchange, especially for complex medications, and a relatively flat investment in field medical teams. This necessitates a strategic deployment of MSLs, particularly in pre-launch and launch phases, where their disease state education has been proven to significantly impact patient adoption post-launch. Modern MSLs require enhanced capabilities, including flexibility, an individualized approach to information delivery, and strong storytelling skills, moving away from simple "data dumps." The role of technology and omnichannel communication is highlighted as crucial for meeting diverse HCP needs and enabling self-service information access.

Key Takeaways:

• Strategic Importance of Medical Impact Metrics: Medical Affairs must adopt outcome-based metrics to justify resources, demonstrate value to cross-functional partners (especially commercial), and become a data-driven strategic function within the organization.
• Shift from Activity to Outcome Metrics: Ideal medical impact metrics should focus on improving patient journeys, patient outcomes, and healthcare system capacity, moving beyond basic activity level tracking which provides limited insight.
• "Perfect is the Enemy of Good" in Data: For internal decision-making, medical affairs should embrace data that is 80-90% reliable. The pursuit of absolute perfection can hinder progress and leave organizations "blind" to what is working or not.
• Compliance as a Perceived Barrier: Compliance is often a "myth" or a perception-based barrier to measuring medical impact, rather than a true regulatory restriction. Internal SOPs and fear frequently create stricter limitations than actual legislation.
• Value-Driven Metric Development: Medical Affairs should first define its strategic and operational plans and the value it aims to deliver, then build its metrics backward from those objectives to ensure relevance and impact.
• Addressing Medical-Commercial Collaboration: Inefficiencies in medical-commercial collaboration, such as approval processes, often stem from a lack of trust, respect, and clear communication between functions, rather than compliance rules.
• Evolving MSL Role and Capabilities: Medical Science Liaisons face increasing demands for complex scientific exchange from HCPs. They need to be flexible, adopt individualized communication approaches, and master storytelling to deliver valuable, digestible information.
• Strategic MSL Deployment: MSLs are most impactful when deployed strategically, particularly in pre-launch and launch phases, focusing on disease state education to create awareness and better understanding among HCPs.
• Proven Impact of Pre-Launch MSL Outreach: Aggregated CRM data shows that field medical outreach focused on disease state education before a product launch can lead to a 50% increase in patients ultimately receiving those treatments post-launch.
• Technology and Omnichannel for HCP Engagement: Technology and omnichannel communication are vital for meeting diverse HCP information needs, enabling interactive data presentation, and supporting HCP "self-service" for information access.
• Veeva's Role in Unlocking Potential: Companies like Veeva, by integrating systems, data, and services, are positioned to help pharmaceutical companies overcome challenges in measuring medical impact and foster best practices across the industry.
• Gap in Desired vs. Actual Metrics: While nearly 50% of medical leaders desire outcome metrics related to changes in clinical practice, only about 5% have fully implemented them, highlighting a significant implementation gap.

Key Concepts:

• Medical Impact Metrics: Quantifiable measures used to assess the effectiveness and value of Medical Affairs activities, moving beyond simple output metrics to focus on outcomes and strategic influence.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: The process of using data, metrics, and analytics to inform and guide strategic and operational choices within Medical Affairs.
• Compliance Confidence: The understanding and assurance that activities align with regulatory requirements and industry codes, contrasting with fear-driven interpretations of compliance.
• Medical Science Liaison (MSL): Field-based medical professionals who engage with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) to provide scientific and medical information.
• Omnichannel Communication: A multi-channel approach to customer engagement that provides a seamless and integrated customer experience across all touchpoints, including personal interactions and digital platforms.
• Disease State Education: Providing information and insights about a specific disease, its pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management, often conducted by MSLs before product launch.

Examples/Case Studies:

• Medical Leaders Survey: A Veeva survey revealed that nearly 50% of medical leaders believe the key outcome metric for medical affairs should be indicators of change in clinical practice, yet only about 5% have achieved this.
• Impact of Field Medical Outreach: Veeva's analysis of aggregated CRM data demonstrated that pre-launch field medical outreach to KOLs with disease state education resulted in a 50% increase in patients ultimately receiving those treatments after launch, compared to areas with no outreach.