As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) catalyze innovation and streamline processes, the pharmaceuticals industry is embracing this transformative technology, as discussed in our previous report Re-inventing pharma with artificial intelligence.
With increasing influence as strategic leaders, Medical Affairs (MA) teams are also harnessing the GenAI opportunity to reimagine how this technology can enhance functional capabilities and re-define their role within the industry.
Using a hypothetical PharmaCo of $30 billion in annual operating profit, previous Strategy& research modeled and identified $130-370 million of potential annual operating margin uplift attributed to GenAI use cases in MA. Looking at both top and bottom-line improvement, this analysis included cross-functional GenAI use cases that includes the MA function such as medical material development, account management efficiencies, and expedited regulatory filings.
Medical Affairs at a Glance
MA has evolved into a critical strategic function in recent years as detailed by our previous article on The Future of Medical Affairs, which discusses the function’s expanding role. No longer only a provider of scientific and medical expertise, MA teams use their unique position as a bridge between internal and external stakeholders with many potential opportunities for AI to enhance activities across the lifecycle.
The demand for MA insights and expertise is growing, particularly as many PharmaCos’ pipelines shift towards highly specialized medicines and external stakeholders seek more scientific, cross-functional dialogue (Medical Affairs in the driver’s seat). This evolution is further driven by more information, which MA teams must access, digest, and utilize effectively as specialists within PharmaCos. In response to these pressures, MA teams could explore using key AI applications to enhance their capacity and capabilities.
Let’s investigate these areas on how AI can enable the future of MA:
1. Time-savings on routine MedEd and MedInfo inquiries
Changes in the healthcare system necessitate not only specialized education and training, but also, transformation in how information is managed and delivered. Recognizing this, many organizations are looking to employ GenAI solutions to save time on routine tasks enabling teams to spend more time on higher-impact tasks. Examples include:
Several startups are currently developing these and similar tools that could allow MA teams to capitalize on GenAI providing new opportunities for PharmaCos to partner. For example, Yseop has developed a tool that can automate the creation of detailed medical reports, regulatory documents, and scientific literature reviews. For MA teams, this could free up time for more high-impact activities and ensure more consistency and accuracy. Meanwhile, Abridge, a series C startup, has developed a voice-activated AI assistant that automates the documentation of medical information, quickly transcribing and organizing scientific discussions into structured output for expedited post-visit follow-ups.
2. Cross-functional, multi-stakeholder omnichannel approach
The healthcare stakeholder ecosystem is expanding beyond traditional physician interactions, necessitating broader cross-functional engagement strategies where MA plays a key role. This ecosystem includes a diverse range of healthcare professionals, patient advocacy groups, payers, and regulatory bodies. To tackle this stakeholder ecosystem approach, PharmaCos need to plan for cross-functional omnichannel solutions. GenAI can be used as a tool to underpin this approach by supporting omnichannel efforts in ways outlined below.
Across the product lifecycle, valuable insights are generated from interactions with external stakeholders. However, these insights can often remain siloed due to regulatory constraints, organizational structure, and resource limitations. Consolidating and sharing these insights can unlock value and enhance the strategic alignment from development through to commercialization efforts.
For instance, MA amasses critical medical insights on HCP product queries as well as the challenges of key KOLs. This knowledge can empower market access and marketing teams to craft more resonant value propositions or R&D teams identify areas of unmet need to fuel early R&D programs. Presently, MA may only disseminate these insights to other functions reactively and on a case-by-case basis. However, GenAI presents a transformative opportunity to proactively distribute insights compliantly and at scale.
By actively using GenAI in innovative ways, MA can not only fortify collaboration but also inspire a culture of continuous knowledge sharing and strategic alignment. Via evolved medical insight sharing within the function, disease specialists and medical directors can have access to knowledge to inform external discussions much closer to real time. In addition, this can support more of a “medical-on-demand" operating model as other functions can tap into medical insights and collaborate with medical colleagues to tackle interrelated business challenges.
The potential of GenAI in MA is substantial, offering enhancements to routine tasks for MedEd and Medinfo, cross-functional external stakeholder engagement, and shared insights across PharmaCos. It is essential for MA teams to plan for the evolving future early, starting with a clear roadmap on how to integrate prioritized use cases into their operation.
Nick Bitterlich and Kevin Kalinka also contributed to this article.
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