MSL Allergan Aesthetics

Company Description

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Tik Tok.

Job Description

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The MSL serves to advance science and standards of care for patients, healthcare providers and payers, and ensure they can access all the practical and clinically relevant information and solutions they need to use Allergan’s  Aesthetics products efficiently and safely.  Collectively, as members of GMA, they work to make a remarkable impact on patient care around the world. 

Medical Science Liaisons (MSLs) (see Note 1 below) are key members of the affiliate medical department.  These field-based roles focus on medical and scientific engagement with Allergan Aesthetics stakeholders (including research and healthcare professionals, payers, and providers).   The focus of this role is on interacting with, and supporting the needs of, Tier 1 and 2 thought leaders (see Note 2, below), but also tier 3 and 4 when requested because scientific needs have been identified on those stakeholders.  MSLs work to communicate information and facilitate dialogue about Allergan´s aesthetic marketed products, and compounds in development, in a strictly scientific, non-promotional manner, and in full compliance with applicable national laws and regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, AbbVie’s / Allergan´s policies and procedures (see Note 3, below) and accepted standards of best practice. 

The MSL serves to enhance the scientific credibility of the Company with established and emerging National and Regional thought leaders, by supporting scientific dialogue and collaborations in the areas of research, medical and scientific exchange, including facilitation of requests for scientific and medical information.  MSLs also participate in the initiation, oversight and follow-up of clinical studies and medical projects initiated within the Medical Department, ensuring that activities are carried out in accordance with relevant processes and procedures and closely collaborating with the Clinical Operations and SM&M teams.  They also interface with other key members of the affiliate medical department - for example: Medical Managers, Medical Advisers, Clinical Research Managers and other functions as appropriate - relevant to the therapeutic area for which the MSL has responsibility, and work collaboratively and cross-functionally with other in-field members (such as district/regional managers, KAMs and value proposition managers) while retaining functional independence.  They maintain a high level of scientific knowledge to ensure credible dissemination of scientific information and informed scientific dialogue with thought leaders, healthcare providers and payers.    

Notes:

1. Medical Science Liaison is used as a general term in this document, and may also encompass other specific job titles, such as, but not limited to: Medical Liaison, Scientific Project Manager, Science Specialist, and Clinical Science Manager.
2. Refer to Appendix 1 of this document.   In addition, definitions of the Tier Structure for thought leaders can be found in the Appendix to this Job Description.
3. An Acceptable Practices Policy exists in all affiliates, and governed by the Affiliate Compliance Committee, to describe activities permitted by this role.
4. This Job Description does not apply to those employees whose primary job function relates to the monitoring or management of clinical studies.
    

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide scientific and technical leadership to ensure professional and credible relationships with thought leaders and external experts of strategic importance to Allergan Aesthetics.
2. Ensure a strong medical and scientific presence for Allergan Aesthetics in key academic centers by facilitation of research and educational initiatives, while supporting requests for medical and scientific information on products or areas of therapeutic interest to Allergan Aesthetics.
3. Support internal teams such as sales and marketing and members of the Affiliate Brand Team to develop their scientific and technical expertise through the delivery of scientific update presentations.  Work collaboratively and cross-functionally with other in-field members while retaining functional independence.
4. Assist in the initiation, oversight and follow up of assigned clinical studies and medical projects initiated within the therapeutic area for which the MSL carries responsibility (e.g. post marketing clinical activities such as registry/database projects, epidemiological surveys, post-authorization studies (phase IV).  All such activities must comply with applicable local laws, guidelines, codes of practice, SOPs, and AbbVie/Allergan R&D (GPRD) SOPs.
5. Act as the point of contact with thought leaders to facilitate investigator-initiated study (IIS) ideas and requests for support to the local and global medical teams as appropriate.
6. Serve as a point of contact within the Medical Affairs team for thought leaders and external experts within an assigned geographic area in order to satisfy their needs for scientific knowledge in a therapeutic area and, when requested, relevant Allergan Aesthetics medicines, to support their safe, effective and appropriate use.
7. Deliver credible presentations on scientific matters to physicians, individually or in groups (meetings, clinical sessions, etc.), where requested, but with the focus on Tier 1 and 2 thought leaders.
8. Participate in the selection process to identify appropriately qualified thought leaders the Company would wish to engage in collaborative efforts – such as potential research collaborations, or educational and advisory roles (Advisory Boards, Congresses, Symposia, etc.); while ensuring a high level of scientific or educational integrity in these collaborative efforts.  
9. Facilitate medical and scientific field intelligence – for example, competitor research and medical strategies, educational activities – and communicate, where appropriate, within the Company.
10. Attend relevant scientific meetings and Conferences.  Collaborate with internal stakeholders to develop summaries of key data and other scientifically relevant information to inform Allergan Aesthetics strategic priorities and initiatives.
11. Upon request, assist physicians with requests for access to Allergan Aesthetics medicines on a named patient or compassionate use basis, subject to all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.
12. Provide key thought leaders / external experts and internal medical and clinical teams with scientific and technical support for publications of scientific or medical interest.
13. Ensure that all activities and interactions are conducted with due regard to all applicable local, global and national laws, regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, Company policies and accepted standards of best practice.

ACCOUNTABILITY & SCOPE: 

• Provide scientific and technical input to local Allergan Aesthetics Brand teams and external thought leaders using information that has been reviewed and approved by relevant local procedures, and under the direction, governance and oversight of the MSL’s manager, therapeutic area Medical Manager, or Affiliate Medical Director as appropriate. This includes working with local Medical Information teams, as appropriate, to respond to unsolicited requests for off-label information on Allergan Aesthetics medicines.
• Ensure adherence to all applicable national laws and regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, AbbVie/ Allergan standards, policies and procedures.
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with thought leaders in the product / therapeutic area for which the MSL has been assigned responsibility, to facilitate Allergan Aesthetics research and educational priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Seventy-seventy five percent of the time of the MSLs should be based on field-related activities, with the completion of 95% of planned visits and the development of quality DPOs (at least 1DPO per each 5 interactions) targeting close to 300 interactions/year (80% of them should be F2F) and interactions should be documented by the tools provided by Abbvie/ Allergan  for that purpose (e.g. Veeva, OneKey)

The MSL should be soundly trained on the TA and should complete at least 80% of all delivered trainings, including also those related to policies, OEC and local regulations.

Qualifications

IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Advanced degree (e.g. PharmD., MD, PhD) in a relevant scientific discipline is preferred but candidates with an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline and demonstrated experience will be considered.
• Experience in developing and maintaining expert knowledge for the assigned therapeutic area, and in medical research in general.
• Solid knowledge of the pharmaceutical environment and the role of Medical Affairs to advance the medical and scientific objectives of a pharmaceutical company.
• Demonstrated expertise in the scientific methods applied to clinical research and current legislative/regulatory controls applicable to this research.
• Ability to comprehensively learn about new subject areas and environments.
• Excellent written and spoken communication and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with thought leaders, physicians and other healthcare decision makers.
• A good understanding of written and oral English is desirable.
• High customer orientation.
• Strong commitment to compliance with the relevant rules and procedures, and to scientific quality and integrity

Additional Information

LOCATION:

This function is typically field based.  Typically, up to 25-30% of an individual’s time may be spent working in the affiliate medical team head office – the remainder of time being spent as field based.  This is subject to local needs, and the discretion of the affiliate medical director.

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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