Pharma ’s new leaders in field engagement: MSLs

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit and healthcare professionals (HCPs) became elusive, Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) got to work by deftly transitioning into virtual engagement. With this transition came an expansion in responsibilities that has resulted in MSLs occupying a central role in pharma ’s field engagement strategy.  But, what now?Some industry insiders didn ’t expect virtual engagement trends to continue as the pandemic eased, says Mark-Rees Saunders, Director of ExternalEngagement, Astellas: “But virtual channels have proven themselves to be an excellent opportunity and they are here to stay. Going forward, MSLs must embrace the virtual while harmonizing it with traditional face-to-face strategies.” Why not go fully virtual? For some time, virtual-only engagement was the new norm for most industries, including pharma. However, according to Dr. Maja Beilmann-Schramm, Director, Global Field Medical Excellence and HCP Exchange, Merck, virtual-only engagement has several shortcomings.  “Virtual-only engagement can make it harder to create a real connection,” Beilmann-Schramm adds. “Even if HCPs share their video, we are losing the third dimension, hence losing out on parts of that personal component. Online meetings are flexible in regards to timing, however, if an HCPs does n’t dial in, there is only a small chance the meeting will happen later that day, unlike waiting in a clinic until an urgent time conflict has been solved.”Caroline Phillips, Exec...
Source: EyeForPharma - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: news