Inside The Exchange

What this team does

Medical experts who talk science with doctors and researchers in a territory.

Answer hard medical questions and bring back what doctors are seeing.

Help find investigators and support studies, without selling anything.

A day here

1. 7:30Drive to a hospital two hours away. Read the new paper on the way, at a petrol station.
2. 10:00Meet an oncologist. She asks about a use of the drug that is not approved.
3. 10:20You answer only with published data and log it as an unsolicited question.
4. 13:00Call with a site that is slow to enrol. You talk through which patients fit.
5. 16:30Write up insights. Three doctors raised the same worry about dosing this month.

Roles, junior to senior

• Medical information specialist
• Medical science liaison
• Senior MSL
• Medical advisor
• Head of medical affairs

1. Medical information specialistAnswering written medical questions from doctors and patients.CommunicationParticipant Safety and Safety Reporting
2. Medical science liaisonScience conversations with experts in a territory, and support for studies there.CommunicationProtocol Interpretation
3. Senior MSLKey experts, advisory boards and training new MSLs.CommunicationProtocol InterpretationParticipant Rights
4. Medical advisorThe medical plan for a product in a country.CommunicationParticipant Safety and Safety ReportingRegulatory and Essential Records
5. Head of medical affairsThe medical team, its plan and how it works with clinical and safety.CommunicationQuality

Who they talk to every day

• The Clinic
• Safety Watch
• Reg House
• Project Tower
• Events Hall

Words you will hear

KOL

Key opinion leader. A doctor other doctors listen to.

Off label

Using a drug in a way that is not approved. MSLs only answer, never suggest.

Unsolicited

A question the doctor asked on their own, without being prompted.

Insight

Something useful a doctor said, written down for the team.

IIS

Investigator initiated study. A study a doctor designs, that a company may support.

Advisory board

A paid meeting where experts give the company advice.

Common moves in and out

People arrive with a PhD, PharmD or MD, often from research, pharmacy or clinic.

From here they move to medical advisor roles, medical leadership or clinical development.