HIRC's Medical/Clinical Science Liaison Performance report benchmarks 40+ leading pharmaceutical MSL teams based on managed care customer evaluations of MSL skills and overall quality. The report provides insights into critical MSL 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 MSL presence and quality scores?
• How do manufacturers benchmark across ten MSL core and consultative competencies?
• Which core and consultative skills are most important for MSLs to demonstrate? 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: The best MSLs excel in both core and consultative skills. Leading MSLs are expected to be true experts in drug therapies, share pipeline & emerging therapy insights, and demonstrate knowledge of managed care.

Novo Nordisk Ranks Highest in MSL Presence & Quality Across Managed Market Segments. Novo Nordisk earns the highest overall MSL presence and quality score across managed markets panels, followed closely by Novartis. Novartis Oncology and Boehringer Ingelheim lead in the large manufacturer cohort, and Genzyme and UCB Pharma lead in the mid-size manufacturer segment.

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

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

Leading MSL Teams Excel in Both Core and Consultative Competencies. In addition to overall presence and quality, managed markets key decision-makers were asked to consider MSL performance across ten critical core and consultative skills. The highest ranked MSLs perform well in core competencies such as being true experts in drug therapies, sharing pipeline insights & emerging drug therapies, and demonstrating a high level of knowledge of managed care, and set themselves apart by excelling in key consultative skills, such as interpersonal communication skills, and sharing relevant and actionable issues.

The full report details MSL 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 91 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.