HIRC's Medical/Clinical Science Liaison Performance report benchmarks 40+ leading pharmaceutical MCSL teams based on managed care customer evaluations of MCSL skills and overall quality. The report provides insights into critical MCSL success factors, as well as customer perspectives and expectations. The report addresses the following questions:

• Which very large, large, and mid-size pharmaceutical firms rank highest in MCSL presence and quality scores?
• How do manufacturers benchmark across ten MCSL core and consultative competencies?
• Which skills are most important to customers and what opportunities exist for improvement?
• How do pharmaceutical firms benchmark in engagement and quality ratings across health plan pharmacy director, health plan medical director, and pharmacy benefit manager managed market segments?

Key Finding: Leading MCSLs are expected to demonstrate an understanding of customer needs and priorities, be true experts in drug therapies, and exhibit high-level knowledge of managed care.

Pfizer Ranks Highest in MCSL Presence & Quality Across Managed Market Segments. Pfizer earns the highest overall medical/clinical science liaison presence and quality score across managed markets panels. In the very large manufacturer cohort, Pfizer is followed by Johnson & Johnson HCS and AbbVie, while Novartis, Novo Nordisk, and Lilly lead in the large manufacturer cohort, and Biogen, Bayer, and UCB Pharma lead in the mid-size manufacturer segment.

HIRC calculated manufacturers' overall MCSL score based on managed markets customer evaluations of MCSLs in two key categories:

• Presence: Ability to rate the MCSL
• Quality: Overall quality of the MCSL

Leading MCSL Teams Excel in Both Core and Consultative Competencies. In addition to overall presence and quality, managed markets key decision-makers were asked to consider MCSL performance across ten critical core and consultative skills. The highest ranked MCSLs perform well in both core and consultative competencies. Examples of the most important core competencies include skills such as being true experts in drug therapies, demonstrating knowledge of managed care, and sharing pipeline insights and emerging drug therapies. AbbVie and Johnson & Johnson HCS consistently rank among the top firms in MCSL performance across the top core competencies.

The full report details MCSL performance across 40+ pharmaceutical manufacturers. Additionally, benchmark data is segmented by the following:

• Commercial Health Plan Pharmacy Directors
• Commercial Health Plan Medical Directors
• Pharmacy Benefit Manager Executives

Research Methodology and Report Availability. In January, HIRC surveyed 65 key decision-makers from leading commercial health plans and pharmacy benefit managers. Online surveys and follow-up telephone interviews were used to gather information. The Medical/Clinical Science Liaison Performance report is part of the Best Programs and Best People Service and is now available to subscribers at www.hirc.com.