From activity to impact: 5 takeaways from MAPS Americas 2026
June 2, 2026 | Congress, Pharma, healthcare, medical affairs
Across sessions, panels, and conversations on the ground in Denver, there was a noticeable shift in both mindset and momentum. Many of the themes discussed in previous years are now being actively implemented, with teams moving beyond theory and into execution.
Here are five key takeaways shaping the future of Medical Affairs.
1. Medical Affairs is stepping into a strategic leadership role
Medical Affairs is no longer operating at the margins of strategy. It is increasingly being brought earlier into the development process, co-leading product launches, in some situations functionally leading product launch, and influencing enterprise decision-making.
As Gemma Pfister (Senior Consulting Executive, Inizio Ignite) and Eric Wood (Head of Commercial, Transformation, Inizio Ignite) observed, teams are now “required to translate complex science into enterprise value,” reflecting a fundamental shift in expectations.
There is also a growing emphasis on engaging at a more senior level. Varun Renjen (Partner, Inizio Ignite) highlighted the importance of Medical Affairs leaders being able to “speak the pipeline, the top line and the bottom line,” reinforcing the need for commercial fluency alongside scientific expertise.
This evolution marks a turning point. Medical Affairs is not just supporting strategy, it is helping define it.
2. The shift from activity to impact is accelerating
A consistent theme throughout MAPS was the need to move beyond activity-based metrics and demonstrate real, measurable impact.
Jo Ann Saitta (Head of Data & AI, Inizio Ignite), pointed to the growing focus on “where they are moving the needle on patient impact,” with teams increasingly leveraging real-world data to demonstrate changing behaviors and value.
Importantly, this is not about proving value for the first time. As Eric Wood reflected, “medical has already reached the milestone of proving effectiveness.” The challenge now is to communicate that value more clearly and consistently across the organization.
Dean McAlister (Executive Vice President, Biotech Enterprise Solutions, Inizio Biotech) captured this shift powerfully, highlighting the importance of bringing data to life through storytelling: “we move it from hands and feet to the hearts and minds of the people involved.”
The implication is clear. Demonstrating impact is no longer optional. It is a core capability for Medical Affairs teams.
Read the full blog here.
This content was provided by Inizio
Company Details
Latest Content from Inizio
Bringing sufferers out of the shadows – Reducing the emotional impact of living with Atopic Dermatitis
You can probably remember at least one of your friends in school who was always scratching and suffered from red, scaly skin rashes, perhaps on their elbows or backs of…
Good intentions, bad habits: Reforming mental healthcare in Latin America and the Caribbean
In the second of a series of articles exploring mental health in emerging markets we take an in-depth look at the situation in Latin America and the Caribbean
How we applied user-led design thinking in the ER setting to improve patient care
The challengeOur client needed to identify the key delivery-device attributes for an antibiotic topical treatment used to combat a group of infections typically affecting young children. Current treatment is a…
Research conducted by Research Partnership published in leading medical journal
Findings from a study conducted by Research Partnership have recently been published in the ‘Supportive Care in Cancer’ journal
Products come and go, but a pharma company’s most valuable, durable asset is its reputation, writes Duncan Mackenzie-Reid and Simon Grist
Hiding between the lines of any company’s ledgers is an intangible asset, invisible to most auditors, but with the potential to have a very real impact on bottom line. Pharma…
Webcast: Rich in potential – Exploring the opportunity for nutritionals in emerging markets
Watch the webcast: http://bit.ly/2oTpzFjA shift to preventative health has seen nutritionals emerge as a rapidly developing area in recent years. But while growth begins to level off in more established territories,…
A researcher’s guide to Key Driver Analysis
Research Manager Kayleigh Simpson explores how Key Driver Analysis can be used to answer key business
Research Partnership sends a cheque for $10,000 to Forever Angels
Helping them in their mission of caring for and improving the lives of orphans and abandoned infants in Tanzania
Pharma Market Research Conference, 2018
We are delighted to be presenting and exhibiting at PMRC, 14-15 February in Newark, NJ.
Out of the shadows: Mental health in the Asia Pacific region
In the first of a series of articles exploring mental health in emerging markets we take an in-depth look at the situation in Asia