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 core and consultative skills are most important for MCSLs 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 MCSLs excel in both core and consultative skills. Leading MCSLs are expected to be true experts in drug therapies, demonstrate an understanding of customer needs and priorities, and share pipeline insights and emerging therapies.

Novartis Ranks Highest in MCSL Presence & Quality Across Managed Market Segments. Novartis earns the highest overall medical/clinical science liaison presence and quality score across managed markets panels, followed closely by Pfizer and J&J HCS. Novartis Oncology, Boehringer Ingelheim, and BMS lead in the large manufacturer cohort, and Sanofi Genzyme, UCB Pharma, and Regeneron 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 core competencies such as being true experts in drug therapies, and sharing pipeline insights & emerging drug therapies, and set themselves apart by excelling in key consultative skills, such as demonstrating an understanding of customer priorities and needs. Amgen, Novo Nordisk, and Pfizer consistently rank among the top firms in MCSL performance across the skills most important to customers.

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 86 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.