Medical Affairs Professional Society Launches Resource to Guide Development of Scientific Communication Platforms

GOLDEN, Colo., April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) announces the launch of its latest industry guidance resource meant to provide best practices on scientific communication platforms for Medical Affairs experts. This document was developed by MAPS in collaboration with senior industry leaders and MedThink SciCom. It is part of a series of Standards and Guidance resources meant to establish industry best practices and support more than 6,000 members at life science companies around the world who work to translate science into clear value statements that educate healthcare providers (HCPs) and enhance patient outcomes.

"Scientific communication platforms have rapidly evolved to serve as the foundation of a consistent and effective cross-functional Medical Affairs communication plan," says Robert J. Matheis, PhD, MA, who is Executive Director and Head of Global Scientific Communications at Celgene Corporation and a member of the MAPS Executive Leadership Committee. "These platforms are a necessary tool in the arsenal of all Medical Affairs professionals, and the MAPS Standards and Guidance document provides clarity on developing and implementing scientific platforms for all Medical Affairs professionals, ranging from novice to expert."

Within the last decade, the scientific communication platform has become an essential strategic internal document that provides the groundwork for medical communications for external audiences. Developed with input from five industry veterans, the new "Scientific Communication Platforms—Best Practices for Medical Affairs" resource focuses on practical planning processes and tools to support the development of these platforms, best practices for training and rollout, and metrics to assess and ensure optimal use.

Scientific communication platforms offer an opportunity to develop scientific communication points about products or disease states that are supported by scientific evidence and are aligned with overall strategy. These platforms ensure that accurate, consistent language and referencing are used throughout communication activities, supporting a unified narrative based on proven scientific evidence as team members interact with external audiences. Medical Affairs teams are often distributed across regions and around the world, and they frequently work with diverse audiences who have different needs, from physicians to pharmacists to payers, highlighting the need for a single source of information that ensures all team members are in alignment.

"It's essential that pharma and biotech teams are empowered with clear, standardized, and evidence-based language as they work to develop, launch, and communicate with HCPs about life-saving new treatments," says Steve Palmisano, SVP, General Manager at MedThink. "With this resource, Medical Affairs professionals now have well-defined, proven implementation tools to guide this communication development process and, very importantly, align their internal teams."

To access this guidance document on implementation of best practices for scientific communication platform development, visit www.medicalaffairs.org/resources/standards-and-guidance. A webinar will be held this Spring to offer more insights about this resource and provide tips and tricks for executing its learnings within life science companies.

About The Medical Affairs Professional Society

MAPS is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] global society of Medical Affairs professionals with members from over 150 life sciences companies, as well as those who provide valuable support to Medical Affairs organizations. Its mission is to advance the Medical Affairs profession and increase its impact across the life sciences industry by:

1. Promoting excellence across Medical Affairs functions
2. Developing guidelines to support industry standards and best practices
3. Fostering advocacy for the Medical Affairs position
4. Providing education and encouraging professional collaborations that support the practice of Medical Affairs

About MedThink SciCom

MedThink SciCom is a medical communication agency that breaks from conventional wisdom to transform scientific exchange. Its multidisciplinary team uses its diverse expertise to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies develop strategies that resonate with audiences on a deeper level. Driven by audience analyses and refined through continual measurement, its capabilities include insight generation, strategy and story development, data dissemination, educational programming, performance metrics, and other services. Learn more at www.medthinkscicom.com.

SOURCE Medical Affairs Professional Society

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