The MSL serves to advance science and standards of care for patients, healthcare providers and payers, and ensure they can access all the practical and clinically relevant information and solutions they need to use AbbVie’s products efficiently and safely.

The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) is a key member of the Affiliate medical department and is a field-based role.

The primary scope of the role is to focus on scientific engagement with AbbVie’s stakeholders (including Investigators, HCPs, and payers).

The focus of this role is on interacting with, and supporting the needs of, primarily Tier 1 and 2 thought leaders, Tier 3 are in scope according to specific medical interactions need identified.

The MSL is required to maintain a high level of scientific knowledge to ensure credible communication of scientific information and informed scientific dialogue with all the relevant Stakeholders.

The MSL works to communicate information and facilitate dialogue about AbbVie’s marketed products, and compounds in development, in a strictly scientific, non-promotional manner, and in full compliance with applicable national laws and regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, AbbVie’s policies and procedures and accepted standards of best practice.

An Acceptable Practices Policy exists in all affiliates, and governed by the Affiliate Compliance Committee, to describe activities permitted by this role.

The MSL serves to enhance the scientific credibility of the Company with established and emerging National and Regional thought leaders, by supporting scientific dialogue and collaborations in the areas of research, medical and scientific exchange, including facilitation of requests for scientific and medical information.

The MSL also participates in the initiation, oversight and follow-up of medical projects initiated within the Medical Department, ensuring that activities are carried out in accordance with relevant processes and procedures.

The MSL is part of the Local Study team and engages in study-related activities (site selection, SIV, oversight and follow-up) as appropriate and as defined in the 1R&D guidance (for development trials) and the Local Study Team charter (for medical affairs trials).

The MSL interact with all the key members of the Affiliate Medical Department (Medical Managers, Medical Advisors, Clinical Research Associates) and cross-functional partners (Market Access and others as appropriate) relevant to the therapeutic area for which the MSL has responsibility and work collaboratively and cross-functionally within the cross-functional in-field team while retaining functional independence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide scientific and technical leadership to ensure professional and credible relationships with thought leaders and external experts of strategic importance to AbbVie.
Ensure a strong medical and scientific presence for AbbVie in key academic centers by facilitation of research and educational initiatives, while supporting requests for medical and scientific information on products or areas of therapeutic interest to AbbVie.
Support internal teams such as sales and marketing and members of the Affiliate Brand Team to develop their scientific and technical expertise through the delivery of scientific update presentations. Work collaboratively and cross-functionally with other in-field members while retaining functional independence.
Assist in the initiation, oversight and follow up of assigned clinical studies and medical projects initiated within the therapeutic area for which the MSL carries responsibility (e.g. post marketing clinical activities such as registry/database projects, epidemiological surveys, post-authorization studies (phase IV). All such activities must comply with applicable local laws, guidelines, codes of practice, SOPs, and AbbVie R&D (GPRD) SOPs.
Act as the point of contact with thought leaders to facilitate investigator-initiated study (IIS) ideas and requests for support to the local and global medical teams as appropriate.
Serve as a point of contact within the Medical Affairs team for thought leaders and external experts within an assigned geographic area in order to satisfy their needs for scientific knowledge in a therapeutic area and, relevant AbbVie medicines, to support their safe, effective and appropriate use.
Deliver credible and well-balanced presentations on scientific matters to physicians, individually or in groups (meetings, clinical sessions, etc.), where requested, but with the focus on Tier 1 and 2 thought leaders.
Participate in the selection process to identify appropriately qualified thought leaders the Company would wish to engage in collaborative efforts – such as potential research collaborations, or educational and advisory roles (Advisory Boards, Congresses, Symposia, etc.); while ensuring a high level of scientific or educational integrity in these collaborative efforts.
Facilitate medical and scientific field intelligence – for example, competitor research and medical strategies, educational activities – and communicate, where appropriate, within the Company.
Attend relevant scientific meetings and Conferences. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop summaries of key data and other scientifically relevant information to inform AbbVie strategic priorities and initiatives.
Upon request, assist physicians with requests for access to AbbVie medicines on a named patient or compassionate use basis, subject to all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
Provide key thought leaders / external experts and internal medical and clinical teams with scientific and technical support for publications of scientific or medical interest.
Ensure that all activities and interactions are conducted with due regard to all applicable local, global and national laws, regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, Company policies and accepted standards of best practice.

ACCOUNTABILITY & SCOPE:

Provide scientific and technical input to local AbbVie Brand teams and external thought leaders using information that has been reviewed and approved by relevant local procedures, and under the direction, governance and oversight of the MSL’s manager, Therapeutical Area Head or Affiliate Medical Director as appropriate. This includes working with local Medical Information teams, as appropriate, to respond to unsolicited requests for off-label information on AbbVie medicines.
Ensure adherence to all applicable national laws and regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, AbbVie standards, policies and procedures.
Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with thought leaders in the product / therapeutic area for which the MSL has been assigned responsibility, to facilitate AbbVie research and educational priorities and strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

Advanced degree (e.g. PharmD., MD, PhD) in a relevant scientific discipline is preferred but candidates with an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline and demonstrated experience will be considered.
Experience in developing and maintaining expert knowledge for the assigned therapeutic area, and in medical research in general.
Solid knowledge of the pharmaceutical environment and the role of Medical Affairs to advance the medical and scientific objectives of a pharmaceutical company.
Demonstrated expertise in the scientific methods applied to clinical research and current legislative/regulatory controls applicable to this research.
Ability to comprehensively learn about new subject areas and environments.
Excellent written and spoken communication and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with thought leaders, physicians and other healthcare decision makers.
Highly collaborative way of working.
A good understanding of written and oral English is desirable.
High customer orientation.
Strong commitment to compliance with the relevant rules and procedures, and to scientific quality and integrity.

Additional Information

LOCATION:

This function is field based. Typically, up to 20% of an individual’s time may be spent working in the affiliate medical team head office – the remainder 80% of time being spent as field based. This is subject to local needs, and the discretion of the affiliate medical director.

INTERNAL / EXTERNAL CONTACTS AND INTERACTIONS:

Representative of Medical Affairs Team in the respective In-Field Team meetings of the therapeutical area.
Affiliate medical personnel: Clinical Research Manager, Clinical Operations Manager, Medical Managers/Advisers; Medical Information team / specialists; affiliate pharmacovigilance / drug safety personnel.
Marketing and Sales of assigned product and therapeutic area; Market access teams; Affiliate Brand teams.
Affiliate Government Affairs; Affiliate Public Affairs; Regulatory Affairs; Legal; OEC.
Global Medical Information; Global HEOR.
Library Information Resources.
Regionally and HQ based Therapeutic Area medical affairs teams.
Area/Regional commercial Staff / Brand Team members.
International Medical Affairs teams.
Project/Medical Directors and Clinical Teams within Pharmaceutical Development and Global Medical Affairs.
Healthcare personnel (including physicians, nurses, pharmacists).
Participating Research Investigators; thought leaders/external experts.
Institutions and Scientific or Medical Societies.
Hospitals, other healthcare providers, payers and Local Regulatory Authorities.

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