Publication:

The emerging role of MD Pharmacology postgraduate in pharmaceutical industry

Patient-benefit is a shared goal of the pharmaceutical company and the treating doctor. At the same time, the pharmaceutical company- in order to recur its R and D costs has to balance patient centricity with making profits. Consequently, the commercial benefits from prescription of a product and education about optimal use of product both become the responsibilities of same organization. This often leads to allegations of bias by the regulators. We are in an era where regulatory bodies closely monitor the promotional method of drugs, the validity of information being communicated, to what audience the information is shared, who all can share the information from the company's end. Thus the pharmaceutical companies split the two functions and allocated a set of medical professionals for handling the scientific interactions. The larger objective of the pharmaceutical company is optimum product utilization via educating the potential prescribers about efficacy and safety data of the product, and not just generates sales. Medical affairs serves as a link of pharmaceutical company who intends to develop a peer-to-peer relationship with HCP, through-out the life-cycle of product and provides a scientific interface of the prescribing clinicians and the pharmaceutical industry. Medical affairs role encompasses scientific, informational, communications and interpersonal activities. This article emphasizes on the evolving role of medical affairs in the pharmaceutical industry so as to provide a clear idea to the pharmacology post graduates.