Medical Affairs, Scientific Advisors, and Field Medical: Walking the Fine Line

Medical Affairs, Scientific Advisors, and Field Medical professionals are highly qualified clinicians, pharmacists, or scientists employed by pharmaceutical companies. As subject matter experts, their role is to understand data and trends in disease management and share that knowledge with healthcare providers, prescribers, and patients.

However, these professionals often face a significant challenge: are they considered promotional?

Some companies mistakenly assume that these roles are entirely non-promotional since they have no sales targets, marketing messages, or direct links to sales. On the other hand, some healthcare providers believe the opposite—that these roles are clearly promotional due to their employment within pharmaceutical companies with specific brand or therapeutic alignments.

Promotional or Non-Promotional? The Truth Lies in the Focus

The reality is more nuanced. The nature of the role is all about focus, and this focus can vary between companies, therapies, and individual customer interactions. This inherent variability leads to confusion and misaligned expectations among Medical Affairs professionals, their employers, and healthcare providers alike.

Confusion and misalignment are counterproductive. They create stress for employees, reduce trust among healthcare professionals, and ultimately do not serve the company’s goals. To address this, there is a need for clarity and consistency—within companies and across the wider industry—if these roles are to add tangible value for the company, its customers, and the healthcare system at large.

The Focus Funnel: A Model for Defining Expectations

Consider the Focus Funnel as a way to understand the different levels of engagement and focus for Medical Affairs, Scientific Advisors, and Field Medical professionals.

• Top of the Funnel: Broad, open, and encompassing conversations. These may involve high-level industry-wide discussions, such as the healthcare sector’s relationship with providers or broader topics like the ageing population. These conversations are non-promotional and not tied to any specific product or brand.

• Bottom of the Funnel: Narrow and highly focused. This is where pharmaceutical sales representatives operate, engaging in clear, targeted conversations around specific brands and products. These are promotional interactions by definition.

• Middle of the Funnel: This is where Medical Affairs, Scientific Advisors, and Field Medical professionals operate. Their role is to create advocacy for effective disease management. They must navigate between broader discussions (towards the top of the funnel) and more targeted, brand-specific conversations (closer to the bottom of the funnel). Knowing when to shift between these types of conversations is essential to maintaining trust and adding value.

Establishing Clear Expectations and Consistency

The first step for companies is to clearly define the expectations for these roles and communicate them effectively. This process, while sometimes challenging, is crucial for building alignment. Gaining consensus on these written expectations can be both difficult and transformative.

Secondly, companies must recognise that the more consistently they define the focus for their Medical Affairs and Field Medical teams, the greater the level of trust and confidence that will develop. Healthcare professionals—and even patients—will understand what to expect from interactions, which strengthens relationships and builds long-term trust.

The Benefits of Clarity and Focus

A well-defined and consistent role benefits both the company and the individuals in these positions. Recruitment can be more targeted, reducing staff turnover, while clearer expectations help employees feel more secure and empowered in their roles.

Additionally, this clarity improves customer relationships. Healthcare providers will have a clearer understanding of what to expect from interactions, reducing the confusion about whether the role is promotional or non-promotional. This, in turn, enhances the company’s reputation and contributes to the health economy in a meaningful way.

Focus is the Key to Success

The line between promotional and non-promotional activities for Medical Affairs, Scientific Advisors, and Field Medical professionals may be fine, but it can be navigated successfully with a clear and consistent approach. By establishing precise expectations, companies can reduce confusion, increase trust, and create more meaningful relationships with healthcare professionals.

A focused, consistent role is not only good for employee well-being and retention—it’s also beneficial for business and for the broader health ecosystem.

Many thanks,