Why MSL Effectiveness Studies Matter
Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) serve as trusted scientific experts who engage key opinion leaders, address complex clinical questions, and shape early perceptions of new therapies among targeted HCP segments. They build the scientific foundation that influences how treatments are understood and adopted—a critical bridge between R&D investment and clinical practice.
Over the last decade, MSLs have been one of pharma's fastest-growing investments. MSL teams have grown 300% over the last decade, with 57% of Medical Affairs leaders planning further expansion. Yet despite this massive investment and strategic importance, most organizations struggle to answer a fundamental question: Are our MSLs actually driving impact?
The stakes are clear. Without systematic measurement, brands can't plan MSL deployment, optimize resource planning, or drive competitive advantage. More importantly, they miss opportunities to understand what's working and replicate success across the team.
The Current Measurement Gap
The data reveals a troubling disconnect between the importance of MSLs and the ability to measure their effectiveness. Here's the uncomfortable truth: only 3% of organizations believe their current MSL measurement systems are "very effective”. Most continue tracking activity-based metrics—number of interactions, KOL meetings—rather than measuring actual impact on HCP knowledge and perception.
Activity metrics tell you what MSLs are doing. They don't tell you if it's working.
The challenge isn't that impact can't be measured—it's that most organizations rely solely on internal data that tracks MSL activities but can't capture what's happening in HCPs' minds. Did the interaction change clinical understanding? Did it build credibility versus competitors? Did it address a genuine knowledge gap?
These questions require a different approach.
How Primary Market Research Fills the Gap
Primary market research with healthcare providers reveals what internal metrics miss entirely—measurable patterns in what HCPs actually think, need, and value. Through systematic quantitative/qualitative tracking and understanding the why’s, Medical Affairs teams can answer critical questions around:
Impact on HCP Knowledge & Perception
- Changes in product/asset awareness following MSL interactions
- Shifts in manufacturer perception and competitive positioning
- Changes in trial consideration and comfort with the product
- Intent to engage with other field teams
MSL Activity & Interaction Quality
- Reach, frequency, and share of voice versus direct competitors
- Effectiveness of in-person versus virtual interactions
- Impact of one-on-one versus group discussions
- Time spent on pipeline versus in-line brands
Scientific Narrative Effectiveness
- Visual aid and message recall rates
- Message effectiveness across four dimensions: Differentiation, Believability, Value, Relevance
- Which specific scientific narratives drive knowledge and perception lifts
MSL Performance & Credibility
- Overall interaction quality ratings
- Perception of MSL as a credible source of scientific information
- Ratings on MSL knowledge, trust, and availability
- How your MSLs compare to competitor MSLs
HCP Communication Preferences
- Current engagement patterns versus preferred frequency
- Unmet knowledge needs by specialty and practice setting
- Content preferences and optimal formats
The framework parallels the rigor used in rep–HCP impact measurement, but is purpose-built for non-promotional, science-driven MSL interactions where the goals and value signals are fundamentally different.
Real Results: A ZoomRx Case Study
Tracking High-Impact MSL Interactions for a Specialty-Care Pharma Team
The Objective
A top specialty-care Medical Affairs team wanted to quantify the true effectiveness of their MSL interactions—not just activity volume, but which scientific narratives, formats, and attitudes actually influence HCP knowledge and scientific understanding of their products.
ZoomRx Approach
ZoomRx defined high-impact interactions using a three-part standard:
- Overall satisfaction with the MSL interaction (Rating 6-7)
- Improvement in overall perception of the product (Rating 6-7)
- Improvement in overall knowledge of the product (Rating 6-7)
Using primary market research directly from HCPs, we measured each interaction across quality, impact, scientific relevance, and narrative recall.
These insights help identify key success factors, enabling teams to enhance future HCP engagements.
Insights and Impact Delivered
1. High-impact interactions look fundamentally different than other interactions
Analysis revealed clear behavioral and content differences between high-impact engagements and all other MSL conversations:
- Longer interaction length (avg. 18–20 min vs. 15 min)
- More discussions on key scientific topics, especially:
- Real-world evidence
- Quality of life
- Safety and adverse events
- Guideline positioning
- Better use of visual aids
2. High-impact interactions drive superior scientific value
Across both products analyzed:
- MSLs were 2x more likely to demonstrate supporting clinical materials
- MSLs were 2–3x more likely to fulfill unmet scientific needs
- HCPs showed significantly higher recall of scientific narratives such as:
- RWE (71% vs. 55%)
- QoL (57% vs. 40%)
- Guideline positioning (53% vs. 38%)
These behavioral inputs translated directly into measurable improvements in satisfaction, knowledge, and product perception.
3. Clear, actionable recommendations emerged
ZoomRx identified specific behaviors associated with high impact:
- Prioritize one-on-one, longer-format scientific discussions
- Elevate RWE, safety, and guideline narratives as key impact drivers
- Reinforce supporting clinical materials to meet unmet informational needs
- Increase visual aid usage to strengthen comprehension
These insights now guide the team’s MSL training, content development, and field deployment strategy.
The Bottom Line
This MSL effectiveness tracking approach gave the Medical Affairs team:
- A validated definition of high-impact interactions
- A data-driven playbook of behaviors and messages that raise scientific quality
- A way to quantify MSL value using HCP-reported scientific outcomes
The manufacturer now understands exactly which engagement tactics drive measurable improvements in HCP knowledge and product perception—and has shifted MSL strategy accordingly.
What This Means for Your Organization
Organizations that adopt systematic MSL effectiveness measurement unlock several high-value advantages:
Strategic Deployment
Data reveals where MSLs create the greatest scientific impact—enabling smarter territory design, KOL prioritization, and field resource allocation.
Targeted Skill Development
By identifying the behaviors and scientific narratives that drive high-impact interactions, teams can refine training based on proven best practices, not assumptions.
Sharper Scientific Strategy
Real-time feedback from HCPs clarifies which topics, narratives, and materials deliver the most value, allowing Medical Affairs to continuously optimize its scientific engagement strategy.
Stronger Internal Alignment
Quantification of impact—satisfaction, knowledge lift, perception change—strengthens leadership confidence, supports investment decisions, and clearly demonstrates ROI.
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Instead of relying on activity volume or anecdotal feedback, Medical Affairs can base decisions on statistically validated, outcome-focused metrics.
Ready to measure what matters?
ZoomRx helps pharmaceutical and biotech companies optimize Medical Affairs strategies through systematic, quantitative effectiveness tracking. Our proven methodologies reveal which scientific narratives, engagement strategies, and tactical choices drive measurable lifts in HCP knowledge and perception—backed by statistically significant data and rigorous research design.
Contact us to learn how primary market research can prove and multiply your MSL investment.
References
- Dyer, S., Heubel, C., & Keener, J. (2024). Challenges of Key Performance Indicators and Metrics for Measuring Medical Science Liaison Performance: Insights from a Global Survey. Pharmacy, 13(51). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12030051/
- Medical Affairs Specialist. What is a Medical Science Liaison (MSL). https://medicalaffairsspecialist.org/what-is-an-msl
- MSL Society. (2024). Medical Science Liaison Activity Guidelines, Version 2.0. https://themsls.org/msl-guidelines/
- Medical Affairs Specialist. (2025). Medical Science Liaison Trends in 2025: A Strategic Evolution. https://medicalaffairsspecialist.org/blog/medical-science-liaison-trends-in-2025-a-strategic-evolution
- Medical Affairs Specialist. Medical Science Liaison Salary Insights. https://medicalaffairsspecialist.org/blog/medical-science-liaisons-salary
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