Medical Science Liaisons Play a Supporting Role for Managed Markets Accounts Managers, According to Cutting Edge Information

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(Marketwired - September 29, 2015) - Many pharmaceutical companies rely on medical science liaisons (MSLs) and other scientific or clinical experts, such as health outcomes liaisons (HOLs) and managed care liaisons (MCLs), to assist with managed markets activities. According to a study by primary life sciences intelligence firm Cutting Edge Information, 71% of surveyed companies use MSLs in a supporting role for their managed markets account managers.

Among surveyed groups, however, there are two divergent views on how to best use scientific and clinical experts in this role. For some companies, it is important that the managed markets account manager is always the one making a case directly to the target and that MSLs are there to train account managers in how to present the data. In this case, account managers and MSLs (or HOLs/MCLs as needed) work closely together. They work to ensure a complete understanding of the payer's or hospital's knowledge about the product in order to meet the desired price.

For many companies, however, MSLs have direct contact with targets. They are also present at face-to-face meetings, as needed, in order to support the account manager. These MSLs are available to answer product-related questions that may be beyond the account manager's knowledge or that they cannot answer for compliance reasons.

Cutting Edge Information's report "Managed Markets Account Managers: Fortify Payer Relationships to Secure Product Profitability" shows that for many companies, MSLs have direct contact with targets. They are also present at face-to-face meetings, as needed, in order to support the account manager. These MSLs are available to answer product-related questions that may be beyond the account manager's knowledge or that they cannot answer for compliance reasons.

"Balancing these two approaches is important for companies to address," said Jacob Presson, senior research analyst at Cutting Edge Information. "Most interviewed managed markets group leaders indicated a preference for account managers to handle as much of the interaction with targets as possible. However, in some cases, there is a need for specialized expertise that MSLs are uniquely positioned to provide."

"Managed Markets Account Managers: Fortify Payer Relationships to Secure Product Profitability," available at http://cuttingedgeinfo.com/research/market-access/managed-markets-account-managers/, guides managed markets teams to succeed by emphasizing payers' needs and working through account managers to meet those needs. The report's analysis examines the kind of information most valuable for account managers to present, how information should be presented and their primary targets for meetings. Report highlights include:

• Data and diagrams showing reporting relationships and managed markets group structures
• Benchmarks on managed markets account manager budgets and spending
• Strategic recommendations and benchmarks for improving communication and relationship-building with payers

For more information about this report, please download the report summary at http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/download/?ref=25914.