As Medical Affairs continues to evolve into a strategic cornerstone of the biopharma industry, the ability to clearly define, measure, and communicate impact has never been more critical. This February, global Medical Affairs leaders will come together at the Measuring Impact in Medical Affairs Summit to explore how teams can move beyond activity-based metrics and demonstrate meaningful value to leadership and internal stakeholders.
Taking place February 24-26, 2026, in Boston, MA, the summit will bring together senior Medical Affairs professionals to share best practices, frameworks, and real-world examples of impact measurement across the product lifecycle.
Learn more about the event here: https://ter.li/405uu5
One of the featured speakers at this year’s summit is Tiffany Pela, US Gastroenterology Medical Director at Sanofi. She will be sharing practical insights into how Medical Affairs teams can evolve their measurement strategies while maintaining scientific integrity.
From Support Function to Strategic Partner
Reflecting on how Medical Affairs has changed in recent years, Tiffany explains that the function has moved far beyond its traditional remit.
- “Medical Affairs has evolved from a traditional support function to a strategic business partner, driven by increasing regulatory complexity, demand for real-world evidence, and the need for patient-centric approaches.
Today, Medical Affairs teams engage across commercial, clinical, and regulatory functions from early development through lifecycle management – often leading cross-functional initiatives. While this integration creates significant value, it also introduces challenges.
- “Our contributions are deeply interwoven with other functions’ success, making individual impact harder to isolate. Defining and measuring our impact has become critical – not only for recognition and resource allocation, but to demonstrate strategic value and enable data-driven decisions for future investments.”
The KPI Challenge: Proving Value Without Compromising Integrity
A major focus of Tiffany’s session will be the growing tension between leadership expectations and Medical Affairs compliance requirements.
- “Leadership naturally gravitates toward familiar KPIs like sales impact or patient reach, but these metrics are inappropriate for Medical Affairs and can compromise our scientific credibility and regulatory standing.”
At the same time, expectations from healthcare professionals (HCPs) and payers are shifting. They increasingly look to Medical Affairs for balanced, objective information, including when products should not be used.
- “If we measure success primarily through sales or patient volume, we undermine our value and our core mission.”
Instead, Tiffany argues that Medical Affairs must focus on metrics that reflect genuine impact, such as:
- Improvements in disease state knowledge
- HCP understanding of mechanisms of action and clinical data
- Identification of unmet needs
- Quality of scientific exchange
- Evidence generation through publications and real-world studies
- Appropriate patient selection that leads to better outcomes
While these measures are more complex and take longer to demonstrate, they better represent the strategic contribution Medical Affairs brings to both organizations and healthcare systems.
Why the Measuring Impact in Medical Affairs Summit Matters
For Tiffany, the meeting is a rare opportunity for honest, peer-to-peer exchange.
- “How do we prove our value while maintaining scientific integrity? I’m excited to learn how other teams are measuring real patient impact – not just activity metrics – and how they’re getting leadership buy-in for more sophisticated approaches.”
The event promises practical case studies, open discussion, and actionable takeaways for Medical Affairs professionals navigating similar challenges.
One Key Takeaway
When asked to share a one-line teaser for her session, Tiffany concludes:
- “I’ll share how we’re using longitudinal insight analysis to track knowledge evolution and prove that Medical Affairs doesn’t just educate – we measurably transform clinical understanding over time.”
View the full event guide here: https://ter.li/vhd129
Register to attend the event here: https://ter.li/nwt8ln
Media Contact:
Hanson Wade
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