The (inevitable) digital transformation of Medical Affairs

Working closely with Medical Affairs (MA) leaders and their teams, we have been hearing about their ongoing evolution and digital transformation for years. As in many other sectors, the pace of this transformation has accelerated substantially since the pandemic. Reviewing the recent literature on the topic, it is interesting to note how many predictions are already coming true but also where more work is needed to bring the visions to life.

A Vision for Medical Affairs

In A Vision for Medical Affairs in 2025–a recent McKinsey & Company report–the authors provided thought-provoking insights into the evolution of MA, mirroring what we have been hearing first-hand.

The report concluded that digital offers the ability to harness untapped insights through new or underused types of data and analytics, including real-world evidence, customer interaction, electronic health record, and internal data. It also highlighted that digital provides new ways for MA members to connect and engage with stakeholders. Healthcare providers (HCPs), payers, and patients can now access medical information at their fingertips and they expect more from Pharma than in the past. This offers new opportunities to engage with stakeholders beyond just physicians. However, MA must play a critical role in ensuring that digital information is factual, relevant, digestible, and tailored to the intended audience.

In addition to embracing the power of data and analytics, MA needs to get comfortable with novel digital engagement techniques. The pandemic accelerated the uptake of virtual meeting and event technologies. Nonetheless, many of these initiatives continue to occur on an ad hoc basis instead of ongoing engagement throughout the year, indicating that there is room for improvement… Read the rest of the article here.