Advisory Boards are where strategy meets science—and life-changing discoveries are forged. If you have a life-saving or life-enhancing innovation (product), a Medical Affairs Advisory Board helps validate its credibility to meet patient and healthcare system needs. In addition, their expertise guides you to avoid costly mistakes and build trust with key stakeholders. 

As a medical affairs professional, I’ve seen firsthand the pivotal role that Advisory Boards play in shaping the landscape of biopharmaceutical and medical device industries. These aren’t just perfunctory gatherings; they are dynamic and structured forums. An Advisory Board is a crucial bridge between innovative companies and the vital insights of the research or practicing medical community.  

Recently, I had the pleasure of sitting down with fellow medical affairs veterans, Lisa, Paul, and Bartholomew, to unpack the inner workings of Advisory Boards. Our conversation offered a rich tapestry of each of their Advisory Board experiences, best practices, and forward-looking perspectives. 

The Experts: 

In this Insights discussion, I’m joined by three highly accomplished colleagues who share their unique stories, perspectives, and insights on Medical Advisory Boards

What Exactly Are Medical Affairs Advisory Boards? 

At their core, Medical Affairs Advisory Boards are formal, structured events designed to gather strategic insights from leading experts in a specific therapeutic area. An Advisory Board’s fact-finding mission serves as a powerful catalyst. They ignite progress – by accelerating development that leads to meaningful improvements in patient care and health outcomes.  

Lisa succinctly put it: this a “great opportunity for the medical affairs team…to take an assessment of the viewpoint of their key opinion leaders… to gather insights to bring back to the company.”  

Bartholomew emphasized that these boards provide “insight into the practicing medical community.” This includes clinicians, clinical scientists, and clinical trialists whose expertise is invaluable for guiding medical affairs, clinical development, and research. Paul beautifully articulated the role of medical affairs as the bridge between the research and practicing medical communities, the outside world, and the company. 

Why Are These Boards So Crucial? 

The importance of advisory boards cannot be overstated. They offer a unique platform to support companies as they strive to bring the most innovative and life-changing products to market by: 

• Gathering Diverse Honest, Unvarnished Insights: It’s not just about confirming existing biases. Bartholomew strongly advocates for a blend of advisors, including those intimately familiar with the company’s work, neutral experts, and even “skeptics.” He asserts that skeptics are sometimes “the most important” components because they provide “unvarnished” advice that challenges internal assumptions and fosters growth. Paul echoed this, acknowledging that while some in the organization might push back against inviting skeptics, a diverse group leads to “much more honest insights.”  

• Informed Product Lifecycle and Development: Lisa shared an example of an advisory board that provided “valuable input” during the development phase of a device. This useful feedback allowed the company to “alter our path forward.” Bartholomew recounted a highly impactful Advisory Board on gene therapy in its nascent days. Gathering the insights from clinicians and patients on their desired endpoints helped support the Sponsor as Primary & Secondary endpoints were crafted, eventually going forward to the regulatory authorities.  

• Driving Research and Strategy: Paul highlighted an Advisory Board where presenting new basic science data led to insights that “did drive further research into further defining what was actually happening at a molecular biological level.” This demonstrates how advisory boards are “incredibly impactful when you’re at the cutting edge of science.” 

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Identifying the Right Advisors: Reach Beyond Your Inner Circle 

The selection of advisors is paramount. Steering clear of existing biases and including voices outside your space brings a wide range of expertise, opinions, and push back.  

Bartholomew wisely advised avoiding the “echo chamber approach” of inviting “just your friends” or traditionally vocal supporters. 

Instead, strive for a mix that includes: 

• Familiar Experts: Those who have some informal familiarity with your area and company.  

• Neutral Experts: Individuals who are highly knowledgeable in their field but are open to discerning new directions.  

• Scientific Skeptics: Include one or two individuals who exhibit a “healthy bit of scientific skepticism.” Their candid advice will provide invaluable counterpoints and lead to significant growth and knowledge within the company.  

Paul added that understanding the group dynamics and personal relationships between potential advisors is key to fostering a productive discussion, especially when including skeptics.  

Lisa also noted that sometimes the “slightly more difficult to work with” advisor can offer that breakthrough “something new” that you haven’t heard before.  

“I recommend a very nice blend of people who have great familiarity with your particular area… with people who are generally neutral… and then certainly one or two people who are skeptics.”

Bartholomew Tortella

Ethical and Compliance Considerations: Navigating the Guardrails 

While Advisory Boards offer immense value, overlooking ethical and logistical issues can quietly undermine even the most well-intentioned Boards. Because guidelines vary across company and countries, involve compliance officers early to avoid missteps and reinforce trust in the process.  

Paul emphasized that all companies should have “very clear outlines for their operating procedures, their policies and procedures for conducting Advisory Boards.” Adhering to these is non-negotiable, covering aspects like confidentiality, fair market value compensation (which can vary significantly by country), and how insights are attributed.  

Lisa highlighted the importance of having your legal advisor “on standby” during the planning phase, as “hotspots” or last-minute concerns can arise. 

Bartholomew powerfully stated that compliance is paramount, stressing that cutting corners here is the fastest way to jeopardize your career and the company. He advises a collaborative approach with compliance officers, viewing them as trusted colleagues rather than adversaries. When discussions drift near “guardrails,” the skill of the Medical Affairs professional is to gently steer them back on topic, perhaps by deferring the discussion to a private setting.  

For smaller companies without a dedicated compliance department, Bartholomew’s advice is clear: “you need to get a compliance officer or expert consultant,” whether internal or external, because it is “not prudent to proceed without compliance.”  

“It’s a great plan to be in touch with your legal advisor. Have them on standby for the period while you’re organizing the Advisory Board.”

Lisa Young

Operations and Logistics: The Unsung Heroes 

The backbone of every successful Advisory Board is the seamless execution of operations and logistics. Early cross-function teamwork will ensure every detail supports – not distracts from –the Board’s scientific impact and strategic goals.   

Lisa underscored the importance of involving the logistics team early, especially when securing venues during busy congresses or managing travel and refreshments.  

Bartholomew views advisory boards as a “core competence of Medical Affairs,” allowing them to act as a “force multiplier or a staff extender” for clinical development or research scientists. By handling the mechanics—contracts, venue bidding, travel, and country-specific restrictions—medical affairs professionals free up other departments to focus on their core projects.  

Paul added that a well-executed operational plan is often “invisible” when things go smoothly, but its absence can “derail a whole Advisory Board.”  

The Role of Vendors and Chairs: Expert Facilitation 

When it comes to planning and executing an Advisory Board, the support of experienced vendors can make all the difference.  While internal teams can successfully manage smaller boards, skilled vendors are essential for ensuring smooth logistics, compliance and coordination, especially for larger or global boards. 

Bartholomew noted that while small boards can be managed internally, larger ones greatly benefit from vendors who help with timetables, compliance coordination, and logistics. However, he cautioned against the misconception that a vendor will run the entire board, emphasizing the need to “manage them” closely.  

Lisa described a good vendor as part of the “small village” that supports the event, ensuring a “tight ship” and handling the “glue that holds the meeting together.”  

Paul agreed that vendor support can “make or break an Ad Board,” particularly for larger or global meetings.  

“The operational aspects of an Advisory Board are incredibly important, and it’s one of those things where when it goes well, I think people take it for granted… But when it doesn’t go well, then people realize how important it really is.”  

Paul Solari 

Post Board Phase: Turning Insights into Action 

Following the Advisory Board, the real work begins – translating captured insights and interpreting them into meaningful action. Leaders play a key role in unpacking their rich discussions and shaping them into strategic decision-making. 

Bartholomew detailed a robust process for capturing and sharing insights, starting with real-time note-taking by medical affairs colleagues during the Board. He stressed the importance of utilizing the “wrap-up” session to gain consensus or identify “reasonable differences of opinion” among advisors, ensuring the final report reflects the full spectrum of views.  

Lisa underlined the challenge of “oversharing the outputs” due to nuances, advocating for thorough post-meeting discussions within the Medical Affairs team to thrash out interpretations. She also highlighted the value of producing accurate minutes, especially with modern software, even sharing these back with the advisors, and sending a thank-you note to the advisors immediately after the meeting. It’s important to demonstrate to advisors that Medical Affairs truly appreciates their time and presence. 

Paul acknowledged the pressure for immediate summaries but advocated for a multi-tiered approach: quick executive summaries for immediate internal discussions, followed by more comprehensive reports for deeper dives with research and clinical development teams. This layered reporting helps demonstrate how Advisory Board insights “drive your strategy and tactics.”  

Global, Regional, and Local Advisory Boards: Tailoring the Approach 

The importance & impact of local and regional Advisory Boards are often underestimated. When thoughtfully executed, their value is both distinct and indispensable. They uncover layered insights that highlight regional practice patterns and bring a critical perspective that could be overlooked in global conversations.  

Bartholomew cautions against viewing local boards as less important than global ones; each deserves the “same attention to detail” and can yield “wonderful, actionable insights.”  

Paul noted that for large countries like the US, regional Advisory Boards are often necessary to understand variations in medical practice. He also shared a valuable lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic, where time zone challenges for a global virtual Advisory Board necessitated dividing it into two separate meetings.  

Lisa added that local Advisory Boards can contain unique insights that might not always reach “global ears,” highlighting the importance of proper content sharing and archiving.  

The Future of Advisory Boards: Embracing Technology and Broader Perspectives 

The pandemic clearly accelerated the adoption of virtual Advisory Boards. This shift to online meetings has opened new possibilities for patient and clinician participation. Expanding beyond traditional voices to a broader perspective will enhance real world needs and strengthen strategies. 

While initially challenging, Paul noted that smaller groups often lead to “much more intimate conversation” online.  

Lisa suggested exploring online platforms where advisors can provide written responses to questions, offering a different dynamic.  

Bartholomew, however, strongly advocates for a return to in-person meetings whenever possible, emphasizing the value of body language, the little side conversations, the hallway discussions – elements that enrich the yield of actionable insights and spontaneous observations often missing from virtual interactions. 

Looking ahead, there’s a clear consensus on broadening the scope of Advisory Boards beyond traditional academic experts, which is a very positive development. 

Lisa, Paul, and Bartholomew all advocate for including other healthcare professionals, such as nurses who often have a closer relationship with patients, and most importantly,  patients themselves.  Patient advisory boards, and even mixed patient-clinician boards, can provide “tremendously insightful” perspectives, not only for the company but also for the participating clinicians. This shift is crucial for ensuring that product development and strategies truly align with patient needs and real-world care delivery. 

AI Accelerates Advisory Board Results 

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize Advisory Boards. From real-time insight analysis to natural language processing of field data, AI offers powerful tools to enhance problem-solving. Leaders already see it as a game-changer to streamline decision-making and improve patient care.  

Sonal Bhatia, an Executive Advisor at Efficus Health and former Chief Medical Officer, Rare Disease at Pfizer Rare Disease, highlights that AI can “transform how we approach advisory boards” by enabling “real-time insight collection and analysis, allowing for quicker validation and action.” 

Kevin Williams, also an Executive Advisor at Efficus Health and former Chief Medical Officer of both Rare Disease & Internal Medicine at Pfizer, emphasizes the potential of AI in “natural language processing” to efficiently analyze insights gathered by MSLs in the field, identifying key trends.  

Uniting Science and Strategy: Advisory Boards Lead the Way 

Advisory Boards are not just a formality. They are a leading voice for innovation in patient care and health outcomes.  

By engaging with Advisory Board experts, your team will gain essential insights to guide and refine every stage of your product’s lifecycle. An Advisory Board’s informed guidance ensures that scientific progress translates into meaningful outcomes for you, and the patients you aim to help. 

Are you ready to bring your life-changing idea to the next level? 

Connect with Efficus Health contact@EfficusHealth.com. We will guide your innovation with cost-effective, expert insight, strategic direction & top-tier Advisory Board Planning, Execution, and Actionable Insight reporting.