Medical Affairs Responsibilities Continue to Expand as Budgets Shift to Global Focus

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(Marketwire - Jun 15, 2011) - Drug manufacturers are putting their money where their mouths are when it comes to global medical affairs responsibilities, finds pharmaceutical consulting firm Cutting Edge Information. Individual affiliate medical affairs budgets rose 12% from an average $1.7 million in 2010 to $1.9 million in 2011.

It is common for global drug companies to have medical affairs staff on the ground in most places where their products are marketed. But country-level medical affairs budgets have generally been created at headquarters without much input from those markets. And despite the rise in country-level spending, the study finds that country-level groups in affiliate organizations are not given sufficient voice to ensure medical affairs budget planning is targeted for best results.

"For 'Medical Affairs: Effective Global Resource Allocation,' we examined three types of medical affairs groups -- U.S., global and country affiliate teams," said Elio Evangelista, Director of Research at Cutting Edge Information. "We found that most drug manufacturers are expanding medical affairs responsibilities worldwide to better communicate with medical professionals, as well as develop better treatments."

Effective Global Resource Allocation

While the global organization must remain focused on overall product profitability, medical affairs managers in affiliate markets can have the greatest impact by focusing on detailed budget proposals that best match regional needs for key opinion leader relationships, medical information messaging and other activities.

"It's encouraging to see the growth and success of medical affairs globally," said Jason Richardson, president of Cutting Edge Information. "The fact that this study collected so many responses from both global and affiliate executives speaks to the growing importance of medical affairs."

One best practice recommended by medical affairs executives is to describe the successes of the previous year's programs, then explain how proposed programs build directly on them. For example, detail continuously rising numbers of medical information requests and predict resources needed to meet demand in new channels.

Examples of successful teams' tactics include:

* Highlight improvements to company awareness and reputation within the region, and describe how initiatives have improved communications with local physicians.
* Structure medical affairs groups for more efficient sharing.