Opinion article for Jornal Económico | Medical Affairs, a new strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry
Nina Fernandes, Medical Advisor at MSD Portugal and a Member of The Lisbon MBA Alumni Club, wrote an insightful opinion article for Jornal Económico, under the topic “Medical Affairs, a new strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry.”
The medical departments have always played an essential role in pharmaceutical companies. Traditionally, Medical Affairs was seen as a support area to other departments, contributing the latest scientific knowledge throughout the product life cycle. In this model, the pillars in the pharmaceutical industry were research and development, market access, and the commercial area.
In recent years, innovations in scientific and medical areas, as well as in digital and technology, have advanced significantly. The need for the development of impactful scientific projects that create value in close collaboration and co-creation with various health stakeholders has become more evident. All this transformation has propelled the repositioning of Medical Affairs as a new strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry.
It becomes urgent for Medical Affairs to be a multifaceted area capable of keeping up with scientific innovation and evolution, adapting to new challenges and opportunities, and building bridges with different health ecosystem stakeholders. Agility and adaptability thus emerge as essential characteristics in Medical Affairs teams, and for this, leadership, talent, and digital play a critical role in organizations.
The leader’s role is critical for balancing the need for speed in identifying changes and adapting to new challenges, as well as the need for stability without stagnation (of people, their roles, and their purpose). Communicating the vision and alignment are essential to maintain this balance, as well as the culture of psychological safety and learning/growth.
Attracting and nurturing talent is one of the main challenges for companies, and I will focus on two aspects. One is the need for investment in the personal and professional development of Medical Affairs teams, from their scientific training to soft skills training or mentoring opportunities, for example.
The other is the active role in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion: creating an environment of belonging and empowerment for individuals and teams and promoting, for example, the search for different perspectives and experiences, essential for innovation and the agile response needed in Medical Affairs.
Finally, the role of technology. Leveraging different technological tools opens up various opportunities.
On the one hand, operational efficiencies can be optimized, allowing teams to dedicate more time to activities that require their focus and potential.
On the other hand, digital transformation has brought new ways of working, such as new and rapid communication channels (more tailored to the needs of teams and stakeholders), the use of artificial intelligence tools, or the use of data analytics to, for example, assess the impact of different scientific initiatives and assist in decision-making for future projects.
In conclusion, the role of Medical Affairs as a strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry is evident. Through science and data, the role of Medical Affairs is no longer just internal support – it is a bridge to the outside world, responding rapidly in constantly evolving scientific areas and collaborating with health ecosystem stakeholders on the path to improving clinical outcomes. For this, its agility relies not only on technology support but especially on people – their leaders, teams, and talent.
Nina Fernandes, Medical Advisor at MSD Portugal and a Member of The Lisbon MBA Alumni Club, wrote an insightful opinion article for Jornal Económico, under the topic “Medical Affairs, a new strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry.”
The medical departments have always played an essential role in pharmaceutical companies. Traditionally, Medical Affairs was seen as a support area to other departments, contributing the latest scientific knowledge throughout the product life cycle. In this model, the pillars in the pharmaceutical industry were research and development, market access, and the commercial area.
In recent years, innovations in scientific and medical areas, as well as in digital and technology, have advanced significantly. The need for the development of impactful scientific projects that create value in close collaboration and co-creation with various health stakeholders has become more evident. All this transformation has propelled the repositioning of Medical Affairs as a new strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry.
It becomes urgent for Medical Affairs to be a multifaceted area capable of keeping up with scientific innovation and evolution, adapting to new challenges and opportunities, and building bridges with different health ecosystem stakeholders. Agility and adaptability thus emerge as essential characteristics in Medical Affairs teams, and for this, leadership, talent, and digital play a critical role in organizations.
The leader’s role is critical for balancing the need for speed in identifying changes and adapting to new challenges, as well as the need for stability without stagnation (of people, their roles, and their purpose). Communicating the vision and alignment are essential to maintain this balance, as well as the culture of psychological safety and learning/growth.
Attracting and nurturing talent is one of the main challenges for companies, and I will focus on two aspects. One is the need for investment in the personal and professional development of Medical Affairs teams, from their scientific training to soft skills training or mentoring opportunities, for example.
The other is the active role in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion: creating an environment of belonging and empowerment for individuals and teams and promoting, for example, the search for different perspectives and experiences, essential for innovation and the agile response needed in Medical Affairs.
Finally, the role of technology. Leveraging different technological tools opens up various opportunities.
On the one hand, operational efficiencies can be optimized, allowing teams to dedicate more time to activities that require their focus and potential.
On the other hand, digital transformation has brought new ways of working, such as new and rapid communication channels (more tailored to the needs of teams and stakeholders), the use of artificial intelligence tools, or the use of data analytics to, for example, assess the impact of different scientific initiatives and assist in decision-making for future projects.
In conclusion, the role of Medical Affairs as a strategic pillar in the pharmaceutical industry is evident. Through science and data, the role of Medical Affairs is no longer just internal support – it is a bridge to the outside world, responding rapidly in constantly evolving scientific areas and collaborating with health ecosystem stakeholders on the path to improving clinical outcomes. For this, its agility relies not only on technology support but especially on people – their leaders, teams, and talent.
Read the full article (original) in Portuguese here.
Source: Jornal Económico
