Month: February 2013

Neuro and Spine

Medical Science Liaison (MSL) as a career option after MBBS

What is a Medical Science Liaison(MSL)?

The MSL is a field-based therapeutic specialist employed by pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Usually MSLs are organized under the medical affairs unit which are responsible for scientific exchanges with the clinical community.

The primary purpose of the MSL role is: 
  • To act as a liaison to exchange therapeutic information between the Medical community in the therapeutic Area  in which they work (i.e. Cardiology, Diabetology, Oncology etc) and the company.
  • Most important function of MSL role remains to establish and maintain peer to peer relationships with Key Opinion Leaders (KOL’s) in their therapeutic areas.
  • To be scientific or disease state experts for internal colleagues (sales and marketing)  

The role of Medical Science Liaison may be referred by some other names like Medical Advisor, Medical Affairs Manager and Medico Marketing Manager. Usually they are all the same, but in some companies the reporting structure may vary with the name of the role. There may be a singular reporting just to the Medical Affairs function or a dual reporting to both Medical Affairs and Marketing function. A singular reporting structure is always more comfortable to work with.

The role can be target driven or non target driven. Ideally a non targeted approach is the right approach and a ethical one also; since the job involves interaction of two medical professionals for exchange of genuine unbiased scientific information and not just an opportunistic approach to generate sales.

Educational and Aptitude requirements
  • M.B.B.S. / MD Medicine/MD Pharmacology
  • At least 1 – 2 years experience in clinical practice or in pharmaceutical industry.
  • Understanding of clinical trial design & methodology.
  • Analytical skills & reasoning
  • Good communication skills
Activities performed by a MSL
  • Provide a Medical/Clinical/Pharmacist interpretation of current and newly emerging product
  • Participates/ Facilitates/ Conducts Customer launch meetings, Advisory boards, CME programs, Scientific symposia, Institutional presentations, etc
  • Marketing and Sales Support
  • Sales force training
  • Medical Writing
Why you would want to be a Medical Science Liaison?
  • You are interested in a Non-clinical career after MBBS
  • You want to be a part of new drug launch activities and to develop an understanding of the pharmaceutical industry
  • Opportunity to work in corporate environment with good work culture
  • Opportunity to meet some top experts in the country
  • Get a exposure across wide variety of Healthcare institutions across the country.
Why you would not want to be a Medical Science Liaison?
  • Field based job
  • Lots of travel (10-18 days a month, fully sponsored)
Job Location and Average MSL salary in India
The hiring is usually done for a particular region (Eg Western India, Southern India, Northern India, Eastern India etc) with base in one of the prominent cities in the region. The MSL is expected to travel across the region for scientific information exchange and promotional activities. Usually the jobs are based in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi and Hyderabad as they also happen to be business hubs for various pharmaceutical companies. The average salary for Medical Science Liaison profile in India ranges from Rs. 8 to 12 LPA for 0 to 2 years of experience.

The Arogyada
www.arogyada.in
February 23, 2013 / by drsandeep.net

Gartner projects that Healthcare providers in India will spend Rs 57 billion on IT products in 2013

As per a press release by Gartner Inc., healthcare providers in India will spend 57 billion rupees on IT products and services in 2013, an increase of 7 percent over 2012 revenue of 53 billion rupees. This forecast includes spending by healthcare providers (includes hospitals and hospital systems, as well as ambulatory service and physicians’ practices) on internal IT (including personnel), hardware, software, external IT services and telecommunications.

In terms of spending categories Telecommunications, which includes telecommunications and networking equipment and services, will remain the largest overall spending category. Salaries and benefits paid to the information services staff will achieve the highest growth rate amongst the spending categories – forecast to be 18 percent in 2013.
Hospital information systems, picture archiving and communications systems, electronic health records and mobile technologies will be high on the agenda.

The Arogyada
www.arogyada.in
February 21, 2013 / by drsandeep.net

103 female sterilizations in a day and post op care in open field: Why?

by Dr Sandeep Moolchandani, MBBS MHA PAHM

A lot of us might have heard about this utter disregard for human life and an open example of medical negligence. A few days back in a government hospital in West Bengal’s Malda district, sterilization by tubal ligation was performed for 103 women in a day. According the news reports, the hospital has 60 inpatient beds; 30 each for man and women. As per rules the doctors are allowed to carry out not more than 25 procedures per day.

Now obviously they must not have been trying to get their names registered in Guinness book of world records for most number of tubal ligations done in a day. So what made them play this dangerous game with 103 human lives by performing this mass sterilization and letting the patients fully exposed to the post op risks in open?

Media reports did not talk much about the kind of procedure and anaesthesia which was used. Since it was a small setup, I assume that it must have been a minilap with local anaesthesia and sedation. As per WHO guidelines, local anaesthesia with sedation has proven to be the most appropriate anaesthesia for minilap tubectomy and has allowed health institutions to provide sterilization services safely even in settings with limited resources. But limited resource setting does not mean that proper post op care can be bypassed. As per guidelines; it is prudent that pulse, respiration, and blood pressure are monitored and recorded every 15 minutes for at least one hour after surgery or longer if the patient is unstable or not awake.So was it a misperception of the severity of procedure and of the nature of post op care on the part of the staff?

It is also a clear example of how mismanaged our government healthcare setup is. We already know that Indian government hospital setups usually have a lack of proper funding, a poor management and a disproportionately high workload. Given all these factors however, none of these can be ascribed as a reason for going ahead with the decision of undertaking an elective procedure in such volumes without availability of proper infrastructure.

This event points to a strong gap in clinical practices and existing protocols. Not giving due importance to standard clinical protocols and guidelines can lead to these kind of blunders. It is not that these protocols and guidelines are not available; noteworthy here is “Standards for Female and Male Sterilization Services”  and “Reference Manual for Minilap Tubectomy” by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. In spite of their availability; most of the decisions are taken on adhoc basis which brings in the possibility of personal misjudgements, bias and wrong decision making.

There is a strong need to bring clinical standardization into practice in government facilities wherever possible. The state will have to deal with this case by doing proper inquiry and taking appropriate action. It will also have to pay attention to the current situation of healthcare services being provided in other government healthcare facilities in order to prevent any similar situations arising again.

The Arogyada
www.arogyada.in
February 10, 2013 / by drsandeep.net