Abstract
Revolutionize your MSL teams to help drive bottom-line results:
In the past, medical science liaisons (MSLs) served a traditional role as scientific support to sales. But market realities, including fewer drug approvals and increasing regulatory demands, have led companies to put a premium on building productive relationships with key opinion leaders and supporting company objectives through medical education. Today, MSLs are evolving into a more independent, highly strategic function. Innovative companies rely heavily on MSLs' scientific expertise to support educational, training, research and clinical initiatives. MSLs are emerging as solutions-driven knowledge workers and as peer-level conduits to leaders in the medical community. Through MSLs, thought leaders gain access to company decision-makers in areas such as clinical development, medical affairs, and marketing.
MSLs are in a pivotal position to influence corporate strategy. Forward-thinking organizations that recognize MSLs' shift in responsibilities and leverage the function' s scientific expertise can adapt their strategies to measure MSL performance. They are ultimately better poised for success.
This study covers these key aspects of MSL programs:
- Structure, Budgets and Staffing: This section details companies' structuring and alignment strategies, investment levels, and headcounts.
- MSL Qualifications and Performance Measurement: This section explores the increasing educational and clinical experience required for MSL candidates. It includes compensation data. It also examines ways in which companies gauge MSL effectiveness and contributions to company goals.
- Field Force Strategies and Communication: This section outlines MSL activities and responsibilities. It also examines the connections between sales forces and MSLs in the new compliance environment and provides recommendations for integrated communications between those groups.
Table of Contents
Metrics Overview
The Changing MSL Role contains the following graphics:
- Percentage of Companies with Dedicated MSL Departments
- Percentage of Small Companies with Dedicated MSL Departments
- Percentage of Mid-Sized Companies with Dedicated MSL Departments
- Percentage of Large Companies with Dedicated MSL Departments
- Percentage of Companies with Dedicated MSL Departments by Company Size
- Age of MSL Functions by Company
- Age of MSL Functions at Small Companies
- Age of MSL Functions at Mid-Sized Companies
- Age of MSL Functions at Large Companies
- Age of MSL Functions by Company Size
- Percentage of Companies with Centralized vs. Decentralized MSL Programs
- Percentage of Small Companies with Centralized vs. Decentralized MSL Programs
- Percentage of Mid-Sized Companies with Centralized vs. Decentralized MSL Programs
- Percentage of Large Companies with Centralized vs. Decentralized MSL Programs
- MSL Program Structures by Company Size
- MSL Team Alignment
- Small Companies' MSL Team Alignment
- Mid-Sized Companies MSL Team Alignment
- Large Companies' MSL Team Alignment
- MSL Team Alignment by Company Size
- MSL Reporting Structure
- MSL Reporting Structure at Small Companies
- MSL Reporting Structure at Mid-Sized Companies
- MSL Reporting Structure at Large Companies
- MSL Reporting Structure by Company Size
- MSL Reporting Structure by Company Size (2005)
- Executive Oversight of MSL Department
- Executive Oversight of MSL Department at Small Companies
- Executive Oversight of MSL Department at Mid-Sized Companies
- Executive Oversight of MSL Department at Large Companies
- Executive Oversight of MSL Department by Company Size
- Percentage of Companies with Affiliate MSL Programs Outside the US
- Percentage of Small Companies with Affiliate MSL Programs Outside the US
- Percentage of Mid-Sized Companies with Affiliate MSL Programs Outside the US
- Percentage of Large Companies with Affiliate MSL Programs Outside the US
- Companies with Affiliate MSL Programs Outside the US by Company Size
- US Budgets for MSL programs by Company
- Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs by Company
- Average US and Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs
- Average US and Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs by Company Size
- US Budgets for MSL programs at Small Companies by Company
- Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs at Small Companies
- Average US and Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs at Small Companies
- US Budgets for MSL Programs at Mid-Sized Companies by Company
- Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs at Mid-Sized Companies by Company
- Average US and Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs at Mid-Sized Companies
- US Budgets for MSL Programs at Large Companies by Company
- 2007 Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs at Large Companies by Company
- Average US and Rest-Of-World Budgets for MSL Programs at Large Companies
- Departments Contributing to MSL Budgets
- Departments Contributing to MSL Budgets at Small Companies
- Departments Contributing to MSL Budgets at Mid-Sized Companies
- Departments Contributing to MSL Budgets at Large Companies
- Departments Contributing to MSL Budgets by Company Size
- Criteria Used to Determine MSL Team Size
- Overlap of Criteria Used to Determine MSL Team Size
- Number of FTEs Employed as MSLs
- Number of FTEs Employed as MSLs at Small Companies
- Number FTEs Employed as MSLs at Mid-Sized Companies
- Number of FTEs Employed as MSLs at Large Companies
- Average Number of FTEs Employed as MSLs by Company Size
- Overall Breakdown of Degrees Required for MSLs who Work with PCP Thought Leaders
- Overall Breakdown of Degrees for MSLs who Work with Specialist Thought Leaders
- Degrees Required for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders by Company Size
- Degrees Required by Small Companies for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders
- Degrees Required by Mid-Sized Companies for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders
- Degrees Required by Large Companies for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders
- Degrees Required for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders by Company Size
- Degree Required by Small Companies for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders
- Degree Required by Mid-Sized Companies for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders
- Degree Required by Large Companies for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders by Company Size
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders for Small Companies
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders for Mid-Sized Companies
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders for Large Companies
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders by Company Size
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders for Small Companies
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders for Mid-Sized Companies
- Typical Experience by Degree for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders for Large Companies
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders by Experience Level
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders by Experience Level for Small Companies
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders by Experience Level for Mid-Sized Companies
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with PCP Thought Leaders by Experience Level for Large Companies
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders by Experience Level
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders by Experience Level for Small Companies
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders by Experience Level for Mid-Sized Companies
- Starting Salary for MSLs Working with Specialist Thought Leaders by Experience Level for Large Companies
- Rating in Importance of Factors Considered in Thought Leader Relationships for All Companies
- Rating in Importance of Factors Considered in Thought Leader Relationships for Small Companies
- Rating in Importance of Factors Considered in Thought Leader Relationships for Mid-Sized Companies
- Rating in Importance of Factors Considered in Thought Leader Relationships for Large Companies
- Average Number of Thought Leader Relationships by Company Size
- Total Number of Thought Leader Relationships for Small Companies
- Total Number of Thought Leader Relationships for Mid-Sized Companies
- Total Number of Thought Leader Relationships for Large Companies
- Thought Leader Relationships per MSL by Company Size
- Thought Leader Relationships per MSL for Small Companies
- Thought Leader Relationships per MSL for Mid-Sized Companies
- Thought Leader Relationships per MSL for Large Companies
- Overall Percentage Breakdown of Thought Leader Relationships by Provider Category
- Percentage Breakdown of Thought Leader Relationships by Provider Category and Company Size
- Percentage Breakdown of Small Companies' Thought Leader Relationships by Provider Category
- Percentage Breakdown of Mid-Sized Companies' Thought Leader Relationships by Provider Category
- Percentage Breakdown of Large Companies' Thought Leader Relationships by Provider Category
- Thought Leader Relationships per MSL by Provider Category and Company Size
- Small Companies' Thought Leader Relationships per MSL by Provider Category
- Mid-Sized Companies' Thought Leader Relationships per MSL by Provider Category
- Large Companies' Thought Leader Relationships per MSL by Provider Category
- Average Thought Leader Interactions by Activities per Quarter for All Companies
- Thought Leader Interactions by Activity per Quarter for Small Companies
- Thought Leader Interactions by Activity per Quarter for Mid-Sized Companies
- Thought Leader Interactions by Activity per Quarter for Large Companies
- Average Thought Leader Interactions per Quarter by Company Size
- Median Interactions per Quarter by Company Size
- Face-to-Face Visits per Quarter for All Companies
- Telephone Conversations per Quarter for All Companies
- Email Exchanges per Quarter for All Companies
- Percentage of MSLs' Time Spent in the Field
- Percentage of MSLs' Time Spent in the Field at Small Companies
- Percentage of MSLs' Time Spent in the Field at Mid-Sized Companies
- Percentage of MSLs' Time Spent in the Field at Large Companies
- Percentage of Time that MSLs Spend in the Field by Company Size
- MSL Staffing Based on Sales Force Staffing
- Ratio of Sales Reps to MSLs by Company
- Ratio of Sales Reps to MSLs at Small Companies
- Ratio of Sales Reps to MSLs at Mid-Sized Companies
- Ratio of Sales Reps to MSLs at Large Companies
- Ratio of Sales Reps to MSLs by Company Size
- Functions that Communicate with MSL Teams
- Functions that Communicate with MSL Teams at Small Companies
- Functions that Communicate with MSL Teams at Mid-Sized Companies
- Functions that Communicate with MSL Teams at Large Companies
- Functions that Communicate with MSL Teams by Company Size
- Brands Supported per MSL by Company
- Brands Supported per MSL by Company at Large Companies
- Brands Supported per MSL by Company at Mid-Sized Companies
- Brands Supported per MSL by Company at Small Companies
- Brands Supported per MSL by Company Size
- Development Phase that MSLs Begin Supporting a Product
- Development Phase that MSLs Stop Supporting a Product
- MSL Involvement by Product Lifecycle at Small Companies
- MSL Involvement by Product Lifecycle at Mid-Sized Companies
- MSL Involvement by Product Lifecycle at Large Companies
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to MSL Activities
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to Educational Activities by Company
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to Research Activities by Company
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to Speaker Activities by Company
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to MSL Activities at Small Companies
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to MSL Activities at Mid-Sized Companies
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to MSL Activities at Large Companies
- Average Percentage of Time Dedicated to MSL Activities by Company Size
- Percentage of Companies whose MSLs Deliver Promotional Speeches
- Percentage of Small Companies whose MSLs Deliver Promotional Speeches
- Percentage of Mid-Sized Companies whose MSLs Deliver Promotional Speeches
- Percentage of Large Companies whose MSLs Deliver Promotional Speeches
- Percentage of Companies whose MSLs Deliver Promotional Speeches by Company Size
