Global MSL Resourcing Excellence: Optimizing Resources, Alignment and Organizational Support in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas

Industries Profiled:
Health Care; Pharmaceutical; Diagnostic; Biotech; Manufacturing; Consumer Products; Medical Device; Chemical; Biopharmaceutical; Clinical Research; Laboratories


Companies Profiled:
Abbott; Alexion Pharmaceuticals; Allergopharma; Amgen; AstraZeneca; Bayer; Biogen; Bioventus; Boehringer Ingelheim; Celgene; Chiesi; Clovis Oncology; Dr Reddy's Laboratories; Eisai; Galderma; GE Healthcare; Gedeon Richter ; Gilead Sciences; Grifols; Ipsen; Janssen; Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals; Kyowa Kirin; Lupin; Merck; MSD; Novartis; Novelion Therapeutics; Pfizer; Rakuten Medical; Roche; Sandoz; Sanofi; Shire; Sunovion; Takeda Pharmaceuticals; UCB Pharma; Vertex Pharmaceuticals; Vifor Pharma; ViiV Healthcare

Study Snapshot

Best Practices, LLC engaged 85 Global Medical Affairs and Field Medical Excellence leaders from 40 leading pharma and biotech companies in this research through a benchmarking survey. In-depth interviews were conducted with 8 benchmark partners to gain further insights.

The vast majority of study participants serve at the executive or director level. Together they provide a comprehensive view of field medical operations around the world, from a global, regional and local perspective.

Insights in this research are presented into following segments to illuminate field medical trends at region and country level: Europe Segment (N=58), APAC Segment (N=30), Americas Segment (N=27), MENA Segment (N=9).

Key topics covered in this report include:

• MSL staffing and resource levels
• Structure and alignment of MSL teams
• MSL launch support
• MSL productivity and efficiency
• KOL and key account targeting and engagement
• MSL skills and background

• Key Staffing Drivers: Numerous factors influence staffing rationale in each market, including: organizational legacy, funding and perception of field medical value (perhaps highest in Europe), market opportunity, territory size, access to KOLs, therapy area, pipeline, and MSL team competencies.
  
  
• Direct Reporting: Most international MSLs are part of the overall Medical organization, but most do not report directly to Global Medical Affairs. Instead, the vast majority report directly to the local/country office. Direct reporting to a regional office is rare, to a global TA unit rarer still, and never to a global business unit.

Sr. No.	Topic	Slide No.
I.	EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
	Research Overview	p. 3
	Key Findings	p. 5
II.	EUROPE
	Resourcing MSLs: Staffing, travel & entertainment budgets and launch support	p. 15
	Aligning MSLs: Structure, reporting and organizational support	p. 38
	Assessing MSLs: Capacity, KOL targeting and engagement	p. 49
III.	APAC
	Resourcing MSLs: Staffing, travel & entertainment budgets and launch support	p. 75
	Aligning MSLs: Structure, reporting and organizational support	p. 94
	Assessing MSLs: Capacity, KOL targeting and engagement	p. 102
IV.	AMERICAS
	Resourcing MSLs: Staffing, travel & entertainment budgets and launch support	p. 124
	Aligning MSLs: Structure, reporting and organizational support	p. 142
	Assessing MSLs: Capacity, KOL targeting and engagement	p. 149
V.	MENA	p. 171
VI.	APPENDIX	p. 180
VII.	About Best Practices, LLC	p. 184

• European countries represented in the benchmark data

• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries – All regions
• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries – European countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country; total number of MSLs supporting each therapeutic area – All regions
• MSL staffing footprint in each of the listed European countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country per therapeutic area supported
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs – All regions
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs in each of the listed countries – European countries
• Executive narrative around budget
  Additional MSL staffing and T&E budget data from non-target EU countries
• Total number of staff allocated to each of the listed MSL management and support roles; Europe span of field control
• Average percentage of “peak MSL team size” assigned to support a product at each phase of the typical product lifecycle – All regions
• Interview narrative on key launch staffing milestones
• Average percentage of “peak MSL team size” assigned to support a product at each phase of the typical product lifecycle – European countries
• Interview narrative around MSL knowledge during phase II
• Effective timing in Europe to bring an MSL on board to support a product in each phase of the product lifecycle
• Interview narrative around launch success for field medical teams
• Effective timing to bring an MSL on board to support a product in each phase of the product lifecycle in each of the targeted European countries
• Executive narrative around MSL staffing equation
• Top lessons learned for ensuring MSLs provide effective support for new launches in Europe
• Innovative tactics piloted by MSLs on recent product launches - or planning to use on upcoming launches - in Europe

• MSL structure – All regions
• MSL structure – European countries
• Reporting relationship between the MSLs in each country and global Medical Affairs organization – All regions
• Reporting relationship between the MSLs in each country and global Medical Affairs organization – European countries
• Interview narratives around country-aligned (local) reporting structure and model
• Interview narratives around function-aligned (global) reporting structure and model
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs – All regions
• Interview narrative around defining the MSL reporting structure
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs – European countries
• Interview narrative around succeeding in remote markets

• Average MSL time spent per week on each of the listed activity areas
• Number of thought leaders supported per MSL in each region – All regions
• Number of thought leaders supported per MSL in each of the European countries
• Thought leader tier breakdown for a typical MSL in Europe
• Approximate number of HCPs (i.e., not on thought leader target list) engaged by each MSL in the past 12 months
• Total large key accounts (hospitals, care networks or academic institutions) served by each MSL in Europe
• Interview narrative around perceived MSL value in Europe
• Total large key accounts (hospitals, care networks or academic institutions) served by each MSL in each of the listed European countries
• Average time spent by MSLs in each face-to-face thought leader interactions (in minutes) – All regions
• Average frequency of MSL interactions with each kind of thought leader in Europe
• Average frequency of MSL interactions with each kind of thought leader in each of the listed European countries
• Percentage of proactive vs. reactive MSL interactions – All regions
• Percentage of proactive vs. reactive MSL interactions – European countries
• Frequency of proactive MSL interaction types – All regions
• Effectiveness of communication channels in Europe for MSL interactions with thought leaders
• MSL professional backgrounds and experience
• Interview narrative around KOL preferences
• Actual work experience vs. effective work experience of MSLs for engaging thought leaders in high quality scientific discussions and building long-term relationships
• Average years of MSL experience in each region
• Interview narrative around understanding team strengths

• APAC countries represented in the benchmark data

• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries – All regions
• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries – APAC countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country; total number of MSLs supporting each therapeutic area – All regions
• MSL staffing footprint in each of the listed APAC countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country per therapeutic area supported
• Interview narrative around establishing field medical presence across Asia
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs – All regions
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs in each of the listed countries – APAC countries
• Additional MSL staffing and T&E budget data from non-target APAC countries
• Total number of staff allocated to each of the listed MSL management and support roles; APAC span of field control
• Average percentage of “peak MSL team size” assigned to support a product at each phase of the typical product lifecycle – All regions
• Average percentage of “peak MSL team size” assigned to support a product at each phase of the typical product lifecycle – Country-wise
• Effective timing in APAC to bring an MSL on board to support a product in each phase of the product lifecycle
• Effective timing to bring an MSL on board to support a product in each phase of the product lifecycle in each of the targeted APAC countries
• Top lessons learned for ensuring MSLs provide effective support for new launches in APAC
• Innovative tactics piloted by MSLs on recent product launches - or planning to use on upcoming launches - in APAC

• MSL structure – All regions
• MSL structure – APAC countries
• Reporting relationship between the MSLs in each country and global Medical Affairs organization – All regions
• Interview narrative around MSL reporting
• Reporting relationship between the MSLs in each country and global Medical Affairs organization – APAC countries
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs – All regions
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs – APAC countries

• Average MSL time spent per week on each of the listed activity areas
• Number of thought leaders supported per MSL in each region – All regions
• Number of thought leaders supported per MSL in each of the targeted APAC countries
• Thought leader tier breakdown for a typical MSL in APAC region
• Approximate number of HCPs (i.e., not on thought leader target list) engaged by each MSL in the past 12 months
• Total large key accounts (hospitals, care networks or academic institutions) served by each MSL in APAC
• Total large key accounts (hospitals, care networks or academic institutions) served by each MSL in each of the listed APAC countries
• Average time spent by MSLs in each face-to-face thought leader interactions (in minutes) – All regions
• Average frequency of MSL interactions with each kind of thought leader in APAC
• Percentage of proactive vs. reactive MSL interactions – All regions
• Percentage of proactive vs. reactive MSL interactions – APAC countries
• Frequency of proactive MSL interaction types – All regions
• Effectiveness of communication channels in APAC for MSL interactions with thought leaders
• MSL professional backgrounds and experience in APAC region
• Actual work experience vs. effective work experience of MSLs for engaging thought leaders in high quality scientific discussions and building long-term relationships
• Average years of MSL experience in each region

• Americas countries represented in the benchmark data

• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries – All regions
• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries – Americas countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country; total number of MSLs supporting each therapeutic area – All regions
• MSL staffing footprint in each of the listed Americas countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country per therapeutic area supported
• Interview narrative around developing your own thought leaders
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs – All regions
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs in each of the listed countries – Americas countries
• Total number of staff allocated to each of the listed MSL management and support roles; Americas span of field control
• Average percentage of “peak MSL team size” assigned to support a product at each phase of the typical product lifecycle – All regions
• Average percentage of “peak MSL team size” assigned to support a product at each phase of the typical product lifecycle – Country-wise
• Effective timing in Americas to bring an MSL on board to support a product in each phase of the product lifecycle
• Effective timing to bring an MSL on board to support a product in each phase of the product lifecycle in each of the targeted Americas countries
• Top lessons learned for ensuring MSLs provide effective support for new launches in Americas region
• Innovative tactics piloted by MSLs on recent product launches - or planning to use on upcoming launches - in Americas

• MSL structure – All regions
• MSL structure – Americas countries
• Reporting relationship between the MSLs in each country and global Medical Affairs organization – All regions
• Reporting relationship between the MSLs in each country and global Medical Affairs organization – Americas countries
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs – All regions
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs – Americas countries

• Average MSL time spent per week on each of the listed activity areas
• Number of thought leaders supported per MSL in each region – All regions
• Number of thought leaders supported per MSL in each of the targeted Americas countries
• Thought leader tier breakdown for a typical MSL in Americas region
• Approximate number of HCPs (i.e., not on thought leader target list) engaged by each MSL in the past 12 months in Americas region
• Total large key accounts (hospitals, care networks or academic institutions) served by each MSL in Americas
• Total large key accounts (hospitals, care networks or academic institutions) served by each MSL in each of the listed Americas countries
• Average time spent by MSLs in each face-to-face thought leader interactions (in minutes) – All regions
• Average time spent by MSLs in each face-to-face thought leader interactions (in minutes) – Americas countries
• Average frequency of MSL interactions with each kind of thought leader in Americas
• Percentage of proactive vs. reactive MSL interactions – All regions
• Percentage of proactive vs. reactive MSL interactions – Americas countries
• Frequency of proactive MSL interaction types – All regions
• Effectiveness of communication channels in Americas region for MSL interactions with thought leaders
• MSL professional backgrounds and experience in Americas region
• Actual work experience vs. effective work experience of MSLs for engaging thought leaders in high quality scientific discussions and building long-term relationships
• Average years of MSL experience in each region

• MENA countries represented in the benchmark data
• Average number of brands (including both in-line and pre-launch products) supported by each MSL in each of the listed countries
• Total number of MSLs staffed in each country; total number of MSLs supporting each therapeutic area
• MSL staffing footprint in each of the listed MENA countries
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs – All regions
• Approximate annual total travel and entertainment (T&E) budget allocated to MSLs in each of the listed countries – MENA countries
• MSL structure
• MSL direct reporting outside of global Medical Affairs