The Origin of the Medical Science Liaison Role

The story of how medical science liaisons (MSLs) came to be is well known throughout the pharmaceutical industry. In 1967, Upjohn Pharmaceuticals (now Pfizer) recognized the need for scientifically trained field staff that would be able to build rapport with Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in various therapeutic areas of research.

To have more meaningful interactions with these external experts (EEs) and other healthcare providers, Upjohn Pharmaceuticals needed field representatives to establish relationships with leading medical professionals. The company initially identified sales representatives who demonstrated strong scientific knowledge and could bring a higher degree of clinical and educational expertise to the medical professionals with whom they were working.

The first Medical Science Liaison / MSL team was formed in 1967

Over the next 25 years, medical science liaison teams became more popular among pharmaceutical companies. In the 1990s, as commercial sales forces expanded in size, medical science liaison teams went through a slow and steady expansion.

Once the industry adopted the original PhRMA code of conduct in 1999, and subsequent government agencies - such as the Office of Inspector General (OIG) - published their own guidelines for industry representatives interacting with medical professionals, sales force expansion finally slowed. Medical science liaison teams, however, have expanded since the turn of the century. This expansion of field-based medical science liaison teams continues today.

Although originally called medical science liaisons by Upjohn, over the years companies have used various names for the role:

All of these various titles are essentially synonymous with the medical science liaison role. The common thread connecting all of these titles is that the role requires medically trained employees to work in the field communicating with healthcare professionals. That medical training sets the medical science liaison role apart from other field-based professions within life sciences.

Although the medical science liaison role has evolved, the community is still small compared to other professions within the larger pharmaceutical industry. However, over the last several years, there has been an exponential growth of the role and its community. According to a recent benchmark study, among top ten U.S. pharmaceutical companies, the MSL role has grown by an average of 300% in the last decade.

What is the Medical Science Liaison Job Description?

For several reasons, the medical science liaison role has become essential in the current pharmaceutical industry landscape. Medical science liaisons provide both a broader and more in-depth response to physicians' questions compared to a sales representative. Medical science liaisons' job responsibilities can be segmented into research-related and education-related activities.

Medical science liaisons are scientific experts to internal colleagues at companies. One of the primary areas of focus for the MSL role is to establish and maintain peer-to-peer relationships with leading physicians, also referred to as external experts or thought leaders.

Medical science liaisons may also engage in some managed care activities, such as clinical presentations to formulary committees and provide similar support. Other activities often include sales education/training, mentoring, and professional development.

A medical science liaison's activity priorities can shift according to product lifecycle. The ratio of research-based to education-based activities for a developing product will be different from activities for a marketed product or for a mature product nearing patent expiration.

It's always helpful to get the liaison's point of view about their activities. You can view a sample medical science liaison resume at LiveCareer.com.