Increased regulatory pressures and reduced access to physicians has made it more difficult to build and maintain relationships between pharmaceutical companies and physicians. To help companies better manage their MSLs, Best Practices, LLC conducted the study “Roles, Resourcing and Management of Medical Science Liaisons.” Specifically, the study reveals optimal function size, mix and service frequencies required to build sturdy and productive KOL relationships.

1. Roles, Resourcing and Management of
Medical Science Liaisons
Best Practices, LLC Benchmarking Report

2. Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION 4
Project Methodology and Study objective 5
KEY FINDINGS 6
UNIVERSE OF LEARNING 13
List of Participating Companies 14
Range of Career Levels Lend Insight 15
SPECIALIST ROLES AND SERVICE SCOPE 20
Pre-Launch Role and Activities for MSLs 22
Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs 23
Pre-Launch Roles and Activities Related to Clinical Trials for MSLs 24
Post-Launch Roles and Activities Related to Clinical Trials for MSLs 25
Pre-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Clinical Trials (2011 Data Only) 26
Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Clinical Trials (2011 Data Only) 27
Pre-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Thought Leaders 28
Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Thought Leaders 29
Nearly All Educate KOLs and HCPs at Pre-Launch 30
All Companies Seek to Educate KOLs and HCPs Post-Launch 31
Other Pre-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs 32
Other Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs 33
MSLs Active in Developing Scientific Collateral & Delivering Speeches Pre Launch
34
All MSLs Deliver Speeches and Presentations Post-Launch 35
MSLs Deployed in Relations to Number of KOLs in a Therapeutic Area 36
Many Do Not Deploy MSLs Based on Revenue Calculations 37
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3. Table of Contents (Cont’d)
Lifecycle Does Play Important Role in MSL Deployment 38
Geographic Concentration of KOLs & Medical Centers Key Drivers in MSL Field
Allocation….. 39
MSL Alignment Driven by Reach and Frequency of Meetings with KOLs 40
RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE 41
Face-to-Face Meetings Most Widely Used Relationship Builder for MSLs with KOLs.
42
MSLs Continue to Call on Regional KOLs, Though Frequency Is Falling 43
MSLs Calling on National KOLs Less Regularly than in 2009 44
Companies Take More Moderate Approach to Growing New KOL Relationships 45
Maintaining KOL Relationships Takes Fewer Touches 46
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/SHIFTING AND FORECASTING 47
MSL Work Kept In-House With Tight Managerial Oversight 48
Companies Engage MSLs Early For Success 49
Drivers to Increase the Number of MSLs in the Field 50
More Reasons to Raise Number of MSLs Utilized 51
Not Standard Policy to Cut MSL Staff After Launch of Product 52
Maturity of Product and Reimbursement Changes Can Influence MSL Reductions53
Other Factors Declining In Importance for Cutting MSLs 54
Factors for Shifting MSLs - Voices from the Field 55
VALUE ASSOCIATED WITH MSL 56
Value of MSL Responsibilities -- Marketing and Sales 57
Value of MSL Responsibilities -- KOLs 58
Value of Other MSL Responsibilities 59
Perceived Value of Quantitative Measurements for MSLs 60
Perceived Value of Qualitative Measurements for MSLs 61
Time Spent by MSLs on Activities -- Actual vs. Expected 62
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4. Table of Contents (Cont’d)
BUDGET ALLOCATION TO MSL 65
Allocation of MSL Budget 66
Medical Affairs Funds MSL Function 67
Factors That Affect the MSL Budget 68
LESSONS LEARNED 69
ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, LLC 78
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5. Project Methodology and Study Objectives
Competition for the time and attention of physicians and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) is
intensifying. Thus, companies increasingly use Medical Science Liaisons (MSL) to build and
strengthen relationships with physicians and KOLs.
This research seeks to uncover the optimal number of liaisons, mix of
responsibilities, number of interactions and span of control.
Key study objectives
Benchmark Pre and Post-Launch Service Activities
Identify Drivers of Group Size & Focus
Gain insight into Structuring & Aligning Medical With Sales Organizations
Identify Optimal Call Frequencies and Service Levels with Thought
Leaders
Identify Relationship Management Standards of Excellence
Value Associated with MSL
Budget Allocation to MSLs
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6. Key Opinion Leaders Segment Definitions
KOLs have different spheres of influence. This provides how Best Practices, LLC defines
the different roles of national and regional leaders. Field researchers used the following
definitions to evaluate service levels for each segment.
National Thought Leader: Have a national
following, are well-published, affect therapeutic
practice, and are often found at major
academic centers.
Regional Thought Leader: Are less well known
but influence policy, practice and local primary
care or specialist views within a multi-state or
small region.
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7. Summary of Key Insights
Key Findings Focus on the Following:
•Monitoring Markets and Interactions
•Tracking Value, Determining Group Size
•Frequency of Interactions and Span of Control
•Managing KOL Relationships and Field Deployment
•Resource Allocation and Value
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8. List of Participating Companies
Best Practices®, LLC distilled observations and insights from interviews and benchmark
performance data from a total of 27 leaders from 24 pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies.
2011 2009
Abbott Labs
Amgen Abbott Labs
Astellas AstrazZeneca
AstraZeneca Axcan Pharma Inc.
Baxter Healthcare Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim Eli Lilly and Company
Celgene Focus Technologies
Cubist Pharmaceuticals Genentech
Eisai Innovex
Genentech Janssen cilag
GlaxoSmithKline Mylan Bertek
Ipsen Pharmaceuticals
Laboratories Esteve Novartis
Merz Pharma Novo Nordisk
Pharmaceuticals
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma
America Organon Netherlands
Merck Sharp & Dohme Organon U.S.
Novartis Sanofi-Aventis
Shire Schering Plough
Takeda TTY Biopharm
Teva (branded) UCP
ViroPharma Inc Vertex
ViiV Healthcare
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9. Range of Career Levels Lend Insight
Research participants’ roles ranged from senior leaders to managers of medical affairs
to medical science liaisons.
Associate Director, Medical Affairs Medical Manager
Associate Director, Medical Science Medical Director, Biosurgery
Liaisons Medical Director
Clinical Communication Leader Medical Science Liaison
Director, Medical Affairs (Oncology) Regional Director, MSL Medical Affairs
Director, Regional Medical Liaisons Senior Regional Medical Scientist,
Director, Global Medical Affairs Strategy Managed Care and Therapeutic Lead
Executive Director, Medical Affairs Specialist III, Medical Affairs Operations
Medical Affairs Sr. Scientific Liaison
Executive Director, Medical and Sr. Vice President, Medical Affairs and
Scientific Affairs Drug Development
Lead Clinical Development & CRO Sr. Director, Medical Science Liaisons
Liaison
Vice President, Medical Affairs &
Medical Manager, Medical Science Regulatory Affairs
Liaison
Vice President, Medical Services
Marketing Manager Medical Affairs
Medical Manager in Medical Affairs Vice President and Head North
Medical Director American Medical Affairs
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10. 48% of Respondents Directors or Above
Nearly half of the respondents were director and above. Others respondents include Clinical
Communication Manager, Marketing Manager and Clinical Liaison.
What is your current role in regards to MSL?
37%
19% 19%
15%
7%
4%
Chief Medical VP Director Regional MSL Other
Officer Associate
Director/Manager
N=27
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11. Specialist Roles and
Service Scope

12. Two-thirds of MSL Groups Led by Director or
Higher Level
More than 60 percent of the supervisory responsibility to oversee the MSL function is with
Directors and Vice Presidents. Other executives overseeing the MSLs include Executive
Directors, Strategy and Planning or Clinical Liaison groups.
Who has oversight responsibility for your Medical Science Liaison function?
Assistant Manager,
Director, 4% 21%
Other, 8%
Director,
38%
Vice
President,
29%
N=24
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13. Lifecycle Does Play Important Role in MSL
Deployment
Companies continue to consider product lifecycle in MSL deployment as well as the
company commitment to a franchise
Assess the effectiveness of the following factors by which you determine how many liaisons to put
into the field.
Very Important Important Not Important Do Not Use
4% 6% 9% 11%
6% 4% 6%
35%
35%
57% 44%
61%
53%
39%
30%
2011 2009 2011 2009
Corporate commitment to an
Product lifecycle plan
over-arching franchise
N 2011=23 N 2009=19
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14. Factors for Shifting MSLs - Voices from the
Field
The shift or relocation of MSLs in the field is in response to the decreasing relevance of
traditional sales and marketing activities as they relate to building relationships with
KOLs and promoting comparative evidence and efficacy of products.
“Note that decreasing does not have to mean
eliminating the resources, but transitioning
them to other therapeutic areas.” -- Specialist
III, Medical Affairs Operations
“The reach/frequency pharmaceutical business model is increasingly ineffective as
traditional sales and marketing activities lose acceptance. This will inevitably shift the
focus to the Medical organizations to:
• Drive development of (comparative) evidence
• And leverage aligned communication channels to optimize the safe and
effective use of our products.” -- Executive Director, Medical Affairs
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15. About Best Practices, LLC
Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work
based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a
course to superior economic performance by studying the best business
practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of world-class
companies.
Best Practices, LLC
6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919-403-0251
best@best-in-class.com
www.best-in-class.com
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