Medical Affairs

What is medical affairs?

Medical affairs is the scientific voice of a life sciences company from late-stage development through a product's time on the market. Its staff include physicians, pharmacists and scientists who interpret data for clinicians, payers and patients without the promotional goals of sales and marketing.

The function has grown as regulators, payers and clinicians have asked for more evidence beyond pivotal trials, and as companies have needed a compliant channel for scientific exchange. In many companies medical affairs reports to a chief medical officer, separate from commercial leadership.

What medical affairs teams do

Medical affairs usually includes several groups:

Some companies also place health economics and outcomes research (HEOR) or advisory board management within medical affairs.

• Medical science liaisons (MSLs), who hold field-based scientific exchange with experts.
• Medical information, which answers unsolicited questions from healthcare professionals and patients.
• Publications and scientific communications, which plan journal articles and congress presentations.
• Evidence generation, including phase 4 studies, real-world evidence and support for investigator-initiated research.
• Grants and medical education, which review requests for independent medical education and research funding.
• Medical review of promotional materials, alongside legal and regulatory reviewers.

Why medical affairs matters

For commercial and market access teams, medical affairs produces the evidence that formulary committees, guideline panels and value assessments rely on. Real-world evidence on outcomes, adherence and safety can support payer discussions and, in some cases, regulatory submissions.

For compliance, the separation between medical and commercial work is central. Scientific exchange, responses to unsolicited requests and support for independent education must not be used as disguised promotion, and grants must not be tied to prescribing. Payments to physicians and teaching hospitals for consulting or research are reportable to CMS Open Payments.

Medical affairs vs commercial teams

Commercial teams promote approved uses and are measured on revenue and share. Medical affairs teams communicate balanced science, including limitations and emerging data, and are measured on scientific impact and insight. Both may engage the same key opinion leaders, which is why companies set written rules on who can discuss which topics and track those interactions.