While medical affairs operate in a strictly non-promotional environment, there has to be cooperation between market access, commercial and medical affairs, even though each department has its own defined tasks. 

Indeed, while there is a clear distinction between medical affairs and commercial operations, there is a need for the two to work together, particularly at a strategic level. 

Medical affairs within this context can support marketing messages by identifying and collecting the data to prove commercial statements, such as having the best-in-class drug for a particular disease. Medical affairs can further promote the commercial need by using facts and science.

It is worth remembering that drug marketing must be guided medically and can only be driven by scientific data. Within the distribution of marketing material, medical affairs also act as a control mechanism, avoiding the external spreading of incorrect statements and the use of publications of disputable quality for commercial claims. 

This kind of internal firewall helps to ensure that there will not be any legal complications by stating concepts which are not proven or not true. Similar changes are observed in the collaborative relationship between medical affairs and market access. 

Medical affairs and market access were two distinguished groups in the past. Market access today cannot be seen alone without medical affairs’ support. 

Market access people are specialised in analysing the market, particularly providing meta-analysis and cost models; they are very health economics focused. On the other hand, medical directors in medical affairs understand the clinical nature of a problem and the clinical benefit that a drug may provide. Thus, if it is about dealing with a stakeholder, a third payer or a health authority, it is important to defend the true clinical benefits and justify the economic model.

This article was contributed by our expert Manolo Ernesto Beelke