Understanding the Role of MSLs and their Challenges

Written by - Manish Das

Understanding the Role of MSLs and their Challenges

Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) serve as a bridge between pharmaceutical companies and the medical professionals. As per an MSL society article, this profession was first introduced by Upjohn Pharmaceuticals in 1967 to cater to the need of scientific leaders in the field to build rapport with the Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs). At that time, MSLs used to report to sales/commercial teams and their primary focus was intended to be on promotional activities. However, with the growth of the industry, pharma companies prioritized dedicated Medical Affairs divisions to function as a liaison between medical development and commercial teams. This changed the firm hierarchy and roles and eventually shaped the role of MSL into a more scientific and educational one.

MSLs today are considered as top of the line experts of the medical community. Their primary responsibility is to build and maintain value-driven relationships with KOLs. They offer domain-specific insights on topics ranging from latest research findings to therapeutic advancements, and even regulatory changes that could impact their field. However, it has become increasingly evident that the MSLs are facing multiple challenges while fulfilling these quintessential duties. We interviewed several MSLs to gain a deeper understanding of their challenges and narrowed them down to three key areas -

Keeping the KOLs Engaged
– Every KOL has diverse needs at different points of time. MSLs want to understand the evolving interests of the KOLs and tailor their conversations accordingly to make them more engaging. They want an effortless way to track KOL’s latest work and engagements, which can help them channelize their energy to research the relevant interest areas.
Accessing Top KOLs
– One common theme across our discussion with the MSLs was around inaccessibility to top KOLs. Typically, these KOLs have a busy schedule and do not readily yield their time. Sometimes, they are also protected by certain gatekeepers (junior physicians, executive assistants) who closely supervise their appointments. MSLs are constantly looking for alternative ways to break the barriers to reach these KOLs.
Simplifying Information Consumption
- Lastly, it is tough for the MSLs to efficiently assimilate the overwhelming data that is present out there. Staying current with tracking the latest industry trends, updates on key conferences, the status of relevant clinical trials and more, through multiple channels can be daunting without the right support. They prefer to reduce their research time and focus on more critical and actionable items.

It is tough to execute the role of an MSL without the right framework of tools and technology. The decision makers in the pharma field should recognize these critical challenges faced by MSLs and provide the support that they need. In the next article in this series, we will discuss potential solutions to these problems.

“The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one.”

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