Overview of the PRN

The Pharmaceutical Industry PRN launched in January 1998 with 77 charter members and one mission: to support ACCP members practicing in the pharmaceutical industry and provide awareness and education to its membership practicing in other settings. Now, 22 years later, the Industry PRN remains an active contributor to ACCP, and its membership now stretches across both practicing pharmacists and student pharmacists looking to broaden their understanding of the many roles within the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacists have a unique opportunity, particularly within this PRN, to collaborate with clinicians and researchers alike across a variety of disciplines.

Opportunities and Resources for Resident and Fellow PRN Members

The Pharmaceutical Industry PRN welcomes the participation of residents and fellows throughout the year! Join the Industry PRN and actively engage with the membership, which will provide you with an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who are well connected with key thought leaders across the country and to have unprecedented access to educational opportunities and scientific research. Joining the Industry PRN is a wonderful way to network, learn more about various roles within industry, and create partnerships that can advance both your personal and your professional growth. In addition, the Industry PRN offers a $500 travel award for one resident and one fellow who have had a poster accepted at the ACCP Annual Meeting, further demonstrating the PRN’s commitment to your overall growth and advancement. The Industry PRN invites you, both resident and fellow members, to join the PRN, learn more about the various roles within industry, and become an active part of shaping the conversation between clinical pharmacy and medical affairs professionals.

Current Issues:

The pharmaceutical industry has greatly been affected by COVID-19. This extends to clinical trials, key opinion leader interactions, scientific meetings, research, and development. However, one key role in the pharmaceutical industry is still thriving even under these uncertain times – that of the medical science liaison (MSL).

The MSL role, or its equivalent, has dramatically changed how the industry interacts with the external medical community moving forward. The value of medical engagement with key external stakeholders to collect crucial insights is largely based on face-to-face, in-person contact time. However, even though medical field roles remain essential, there must be new ways of working. MSLs must continue to be available to support the medical community while being sensitive to the needs of providers desperately trying to care for patients and, in some cases, desperately trying to maintain their own practice and livelihood.

In a recent survey conducted by the Medical Science Liaison Society, almost 400 MSLs, or those with equivalent titles, shared their experience in this new COVID-19 era. The survey captured the opinions of external stakeholders as well as the internal changes that have resulted since March 2020. The bulk of MSL activity is largely field based, interacting in person with key external stakeholders. The survey, which sought to determine in a virtual world how this vital field-based role will be affected, found that 67% of respondents were either very receptive or somewhat receptive to maintaining engagement with their industry colleagues virtually until in-person meetings could be resumed.

With many conferences now offered online, MSLs now also have the flexibility to attend many more meetings and gather more detailed insights to share with both the internal and the external scientific community. Indeed, with an almost 40% reduction in their availability, MSLs must use such alternative ways to stay engaged in this new virtual era. This is particularly valuable because the external stakeholders that MSLs support are inundated with patient care and maintaining their practices and are therefore not as available to attend these meetings.

In addition, MSLs now have more time to engage with their teams. MSLs often take the lead in presenting journal clubs, training new hires, providing ongoing team training, and reporting on congresses attended. Under usual circumstances, there is limited time for this engagement because of the demands for MSLs to maintain significant field activity. However, with the ability to engage virtually with reduced external engagement, MSLs have more time to review the scientific literature, share that information broadly across the internal medical organization, and, when appropriate, support other cross-functional roles within the company.

However, the MSL role represents only one aspect of the pharmaceutical industry and is not the only function operating differently under the COVID-19 pandemic. There is much to learn across industry partners, and this information should be shared broadly with the external community. This is an exciting time to be part of the Pharmaceutical Industry PRN and to shape the future practices of industry professionals.

References:

Medical Science Liaison Society (MSLS). MSL Activities During the COVID-19 Pandemic.. April 2020. Available at themsls.org/COVID-19-survey-results/. Accessed May 18, 2020.

Prepared by:

Cori B. Cooper, Pharm.D., MPH, BCACP, CDCES

Rheumatology Medical Science Liaison

UCB Pharmaceuticals