In today’s data-driven healthcare landscape, the value of a therapy extends far beyond its efficacy in clinical trials. Payers, policymakers, and healthcare providers increasingly demand evidence that demonstrates real-world value.
This shift has placed Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) and Real-World Evidence (RWE) at the heart of medical strategy.
We explore how MSLs drive evidence generation by identifying knowledge gaps, gathering real-world insights, and translating data into impactful narratives that enhance payer, clinician, and patient confidence.
From Sharing Knowledge to Shaping Proof
Traditionally, MSLs engaged key opinion leaders (KOLs) to share data, gather feedback, and strengthen scientific credibility. While this remains vital, modern medical affairs functions are now tasked with demonstrating value across the product lifecycle—from early development to post-launch access.
MSLs embrace a unique position at the intersection of scientific, clinical, and market environments. In this role, they are ideally situated to:
- Identify evidence gaps that undermine the confidence of stakeholders.
- Gather actionable insights from real-world clinical settings.
- Facilitate or help design HEOR and RWE studies to address these gaps.
- Translate complex data into clear, meaningful clinical narratives that support decision-making..
By contributing to HEOR and RWE initiatives, MSLs strengthen not only the field medical strategy but also the overall value of the communication framework within an organization.1
Building on this foundation, the next section highlights how MSL-driven scientific dialogue translates into measurable real-world impact.
I. Insights That Drive Evidence:
Every MSL interaction is a potential source of real-world intelligence. Through scientific exchange with clinicians, pharmacists, and payers, MSLs gain nuanced perspectives on:
- Variability in treatment practices and outcomes
- Barriers to therapy adoption or persistence
- Patient subgroups are underrepresented in clinical trials
- Cost drivers, resource utilization, and quality-of-life challenges
When systematically captured and analyzed, these insights form the foundation of the HEOR evidence roadmap.
Repeated feedback from clinicians about treatment discontinuation rates could highlight the need for a real-world adherence study or budget impact model. Similarly, MSLs reporting payer concerns about long-term safety might prompt RWE analyses from claims or registry data.
In this way, MSLs become frontline contributors to medical strategy, helping HEOR teams prioritize studies that are both scientifically relevant and stakeholder-driven.
II. Bringing Real-World Evidence to Life:
MSLs can actively facilitate the generation of RWD and RWE by bridging internal and external stakeholders.
Their relationships with KOLs, research networks, and academic centers enable them to:
- Identify potential investigators and sites interested in outcomes or observational studies.
- Support scientific discussions on study rationale, endpoints, and feasibility.
- Ensure alignment between clinical practice realities and HEOR study design.
- Encourage participation in registries or pragmatic studies by explaining scientific value rather than commercial motives.
When investigators express interest in understanding treatment effectiveness in elderly populations, MSLs can channel this into collaborative RWE projects analyzing electronic health records (EHRs) or claims databases.2
Through these efforts, MSLs transform field intelligence into structured data generation, reinforcing the credibility and clinical relevance of HEOR outputs.
III. Turning Data into Decisions:
Data alone does not drive change—interpretation and context do.
MSLs play a pivotal role in translating HEOR and RWE findings into insights that resonate with healthcare decision-makers.
When equipped with a deep understanding of both clinical outcomes and economic implications,
MSLs can:
- Articulate how real-world effectiveness supports or complements clinical trial results.
- Explain cost-effectiveness outcomes in practical terms, linking improved adherence or fewer hospitalizations to measurable savings.
- Customize discussions to regional payer priorities or population-specific needs.3
By providing this bridge between clinical practice and health economics, MSLs ensure that evidence generation translates into evidence utilization.
IV. Connecting What We Learn to What We Do:
One of the most strategic contributions MSLs make is closing the loop between field insights and corporate strategy.
Insights gathered from scientific interactions are not anecdotal—they represent a continuous data stream that can:
- Refine future HEOR model assumptions (e.g., resource use frequencies, adherence rates).
- Influence medical publication priorities (e.g., highlighting underexplored endpoints).
- Shape access and pricing narratives, ensuring they reflect real-world practice realities.
- Identify opportunities for value demonstration studies in specific geographies or subpopulations.4
When MSLs systematically report these insights, medical affairs can evolve from reactive data dissemination to proactive evidence planning—aligning clinical development, HEOR, and market access functions around shared objectives.
From Collaboration to Transformation
As regulatory and payer bodies increasingly accept RWE for decision-making, the collaboration between field medical teams and HEOR functions will deepen.5
To support this evolution, organizations can invest in targeted initiatives to:
- Train MSLs in HEOR fundamentals—study design, outcomes terminology, health technology assessment principles.
- Create standardized frameworks for collecting and communicating real-world insights.
- Integrate MSL feedback loops into HEOR study planning and post-launch data strategies.
- Encourage cross-functional partnerships that merge scientific exchange with value demonstration.6
When MSLs are empowered as both scientific communicators and evidence collaborators, medical affairs transforms into a true strategic engine, one that drives not only clinical credibility but also tangible healthcare impact.
MSLs form the bridge between healthcare delivery and research innovation. In an era where outcomes and economics define success, the MSL’s evolving role in HEOR and RWE generation is not just an enhancement of medical strategy—it is its future.
Confidentiality: This article was written by Nadia Najam, MBBS, with support from AI tools to assist in organizing content and enhancing scientific clarity. All material has been thoroughly reviewed and refined by the author to ensure accuracy and alignment with current international standards and references
RFERENCES:
- ANALYSIS GROUP. Fulfilling the Promise: Real-World Data and Real-World Evidence in Action. Health Care Bulletin: 2022 Selected Highlights. Published online 2022.
- ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research. ISPOR Good Practices Report Offers Guidance for Using Real-World Data From EHRs in Health Technology Assessments. Value in Health. Published online June 17, 2024.
- Theron P, Britland M, Holder D, Ikeda Y, Rewers RF, Tiku A. Promoting Best Practices for Medical Science Liaisons Position Statement from the APPA, IFAPP, MAPS and MSLS. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2021;55(6):1139-1144. doi:10.1007/s43441-021-00310-y
- Peter Rutherford MD, PhDNJS. Medical Science Liaisons: A key to driving patient access to new therapies. White paper QuintilesIMS.
- Zdon J, Chatgilaou GJ, Henderson D, et al. How Can General Managers Best Leverage Medical Affairs Now and in the Future? Pharmaceut Med. 2024;38(4):277-290. doi:10.1007/s40290-024-00528-9
- Leveraging Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) for Emerging Biopharma Success. iNIZIO Engage. Published online September 13, 2024.
About the author:
Nadia Najam, MBBS
Dr. Nadia Najam is a physician, research scientist, and aspiring Medical Science Liaison with expertise in molecular pathology, genetics, and precision medicine. She is passionate about translating real-world evidence and HEOR into actionable insights, advancing clinical research, and contributing to medical affairs. Her work spans clinical trials, health informatics, and AI/ML applications, with a commitment to fostering innovation and scientific collaboration in the evolving healthcare landscape.
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