What is the most integral part of starting a successful MSL team?
It’s hiring candidates that are academically gifted, scientifically educated and most importantly socially skilled. In addition carefully planned and ongoing MSL training and extreme focus out of the gate.
What does success look like?
Good looks balanced. It’s an MSL team that has developed the integral KOL relationships, gathered and reported competitive intelligence, provided scientific discussion for training and education of health care practitioners on label and in response to an unsolicited off label question in a compliant fashion and supporting them with company sponsored and investigator initiated trials which can lead to publications.
How do you measure MSL/KOL success?
Success is measured by a multitude of metrics which can include but not be limited to KOL development in one or multiple therapeutic areas and their collaboration with them, product training and education, execution of various MSL education programs, attendance at congresses and other scientific events, support of company sponsored and investigator initiated trials as well as documented scientific exchange in a timely fashion.
Were there any regulatory challenges you were concerned with when building/launching a new MSL team?
Compliance, compliance and compliance must be at the forefront of all aspects of an MSL communication and interaction. Conversations must be thoroughly precise in thought and word in order to maintain a healthy and valuable KOL relationship for themselves and the company as well.
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