Medical Information Services

Medical Information: An Essential Function of Medical Affairs

Medical Affairs is a critical component of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, acting as a bridge between the scientific community, healthcare professionals, and the commercial aspects of drug development. One of the most vital functions within Medical Affairs is the provision of Medical Information (MI). This role not only supports clinical decision-making but also ensures that accurate, relevant, and timely medical data is disseminated to stakeholders. This article delves into why Medical Information is an essential function of Medical Affairs and its implications for healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

Understanding Medical Information

Medical Information encompasses a comprehensive range of data related to pharmaceutical products, including efficacy, safety, mechanisms of action, side effects, and appropriate usage guidelines. The goal of MI is to provide healthcare professionals with the highest quality scientific data to aid in making informed decisions about patient care.

In the increasingly complex landscape of medicine, where treatment options are rapidly evolving, Medical Information serves as a reliable source of information that is both evidence-based and compliant with regulatory requirements. MI professionals are trained to analyze and interpret clinical data, making them indispensable in communicating the nuances of scientific findings to practitioners.

It is a critical conduit with healthcare providers who interact with field sales or scientific professionals or who seek scientific information independently. In this customer-facing and customer-focused capacity, Medical Information is the “face” of the manufacturer to many external customers and serves to facilitate the safe and effective use of the marketed products.

This process has a significant role in supporting the information needs of Healthcare Professionals, patients, and caregivers through the provision of Medical Information in response to unsolicited questions about the manufacturer’s products. It strives to provide excellent customer service based on the customer’s expectations through a variety of channels.

Medical Information Sources

All Healthcare Professionals (HCP): Physicians, Pharmacists, Nurses, Other practitioners (e.g., nurse
practitioners, physician assistant)
Other Life Science Professionals: Research scientists (i.e., PhD’s), Non-HCP Formulary Decision
Makers
Other groups: Patients, caregivers, payers

Procedure-Demo for Handling of Medical Information Enquiries

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Medical Information Enquiries

Key Functions of MI

Providing Accurate and Evidence-Based Information: One of the main roles of MI is to ensure that healthcare professionals have access to accurate and up-to-date medical knowledge. This includes creating comprehensive responses to inquiries from physicians, pharmacists, and other stakeholders regarding a specific product or therapy.

Supporting Clinical Decisions: MI aids healthcare professionals in making informed clinical decisions. By providing detailed information about a product’s benefits, risks, and comparative effectiveness, MI helps clinicians to choose the best treatment options for their patients.

Ensuring Compliance and Ethical Standards: The pharmaceutical industry is tightly regulated, and MI teams play a critical role in ensuring that all communications with healthcare professionals comply with laws and regulations. This includes maintaining transparency and integrity in all interactions, thus fostering trust between the industry and healthcare providers.

Facilitating Scientific Exchange: MI is essential for fostering an open dialogue between the pharmaceutical industry and the medical community. By facilitating scientific exchange, MI helps to enhance understanding of therapeutic areas and shares insights about emerging data and research trends.

Serving as a Resource for Clinical Trials: As clinical trials are a foundational aspect of drug development, MI teams provide crucial information about ongoing studies, helping to recruit participants and disseminate information about study outcomes. This function not only supports the drug approval process but also contributes to advancing medical knowledge.

Training and Supporting Internal Stakeholders: Medical Information teams also provide training to internal teams, including sales and marketing, equipping them with the pertinent scientific knowledge needed to engage with healthcare professionals effectively without compromising on compliance.

Challenges Faced by Medical Information Professionals

While the role of Medical Information is fundamental, it is not without challenges. The constant influx of new data, evolving clinical guidelines, and changes in regulations can overwhelm MI teams. Additionally, the advent of digital health and telemedicine necessitates that MI professionals adapt to new means of engagement with healthcare providers and patients.

Moreover, the rapid pace of scientific advancement requires MI teams to continuously update their knowledge and ensure that the information they provide is not only accurate but also presented in a way that is easily digestible for busy healthcare professionals.

Medical Information is a pillar of Medical Affairs, serving as a vital resource for healthcare professionals and playing a crucial role in improving patient outcomes. By ensuring that accurate, evidence-based information is disseminated effectively, MI teams contribute to informed clinical decisions, enhance the understanding of medical products, and foster ethical communication in the healthcare ecosystem.

As the landscape of medicine continues to evolve, so too must the practices surrounding Medical Information. Investing in this function will empower Medical Affairs to enhance its impact on healthcare delivery and drive better therapeutic outcomes, ultimately benefiting patients and the broader healthcare system.

Medical Information Enquiries managed by PharmExpert

PharmExpert LLC provides Medical Information (MI) services to marketing authorization holders. This activity refers to the collection, handling and dissemination of information on medications, and their safe and correct use.

Main principles for responding MI enquiries

Provide the appropriate response, document, and supporting evidence to the requester and addressing only the question being asked
Be mindful on the type of requestor (HCP vs. Non-HCP) and information that can be
Importance of accurate records of requests and responses, capturing requestor demographics, management of source documents, reporting of safety information and product quality complaint information, adhering to applicable privacy regulations, documenting the interaction in the company database
Training/SOPs/procedures to ensure service level agreements meet the company’s and industry standards
Review and approval process
Maintenance of Scientific Response Documents
Process optimization and continuous improvement.