By Jane Chin, Ph.D. Medical science liaison programs are expanding in today’s biopharmaceutical industry. This overview examines key roles of a medical science liaison. Medical science liaisons are therapeutic specialists with advanced scientific training and degrees in life sciences (doctorates, advanced professional healthcare degrees, or masters in science).
Majority of medical science liaisons currently in industry are Doctors of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) and Doctors of Philosophy (Ph.D.), with a smaller percentage holding Medical Doctor (M.D.) degrees. In the past few years, the percentage of PhD and MD MSL candidates have increased, as funding shortage in research and economic pressures facing PhD scientists and physicians spurred these medical science professionals to consider field-medical science liaison careers.
While many pharmaceutical companies require advanced degrees, healthcare professionals without an advanced scientific degrees but have extensive industry experience in a given therapeutic area are often considered. Excellent scientific aptitude is critical to productive interactions between medical science liaisons and thought leaders who are research pioneers and authorities in a therapeutic field.
Medical science liaison programs have an integral place in the life-cycle development of a product within a therapeutic area. Medical science liaisons are critical in clinically-driven, optimal positioning of a company’s therapeutic capability in a given geography at a given product life cycle. Clinical support during the pre- and post-launch phases of a product is top priority of medical science liaisons and is achieved through sustained scientific exchange with thought leaders. The establishment of trust in a medical science liaison-thought leader relationship results from consistent demonstration of scientific expertise and satisfactory follow-through to requests from thought leaders.
Medical science liaisons have other responsibilities within the organization, and interact with other functioning teams (“cross-functional interactions”). However, the main role of a medical science liaison is to cultivate thought leader relationships.
Since medical science liaisons actively engage in activities that support the strategic direction of a product, they may interact with key decision makers both within the organization and outside their company. As catalysts of collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and thought leaders, medical science liaisons are essential conduits to the quality and success of transmission of timely information, research resources, and business intelligence.
Prominent field-based medical programs are implemented in most pharmaceutical companies. Many biotechnology firms also employ medical science liaisons as key sources of contact with thought leaders for a therapeutic area. Some biotechnology ventures implement medical science liaison programs before the establishment of formal sales forces, particularly those companies with products still in clinical trials and not yet commercially available. This underscores the primary role of a medical science liaison to secure the company’s presence in the therapeutic market, and reinforces a demand for growth in field-based medical programs.
NOTE: This article by Jane Chin was quoted in Managing Relationships with Industry: A Physician’s Compliance Manual (Paperback) by Steven C. Schachter et al, Academic Press June 2008. [AMAZON]
Image credit: Global team by B.S.K.
Tags: advanced degrees, catalysts, medical science liaison directors, MSLs, roles and responsibilities, therapeutic specialists
[...] Medical Science Liaisons or MSLs serve as catalysts of collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and thought leaders. Medical science liaisons are essential conduits to the quality and success of transmission of timely information, research resources, and business intelligence. Source: MSLs, an overview. [...]