Inside Medical Affairs: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities for 2026

Medical Affairs trends, from leaders and practitioners:
A comprehensive report on strategic priorities, challenges, AI adoption and the future of the function.

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    This report brings together the perspectives of Medical Affairs leaders and practitioners across the UK, Europe, the US and global organisations, including Heads of Medical Affairs, Directors, Medical Advisors, MSLs, MSL Managers and Operations professionals to identify medical affairs trends.

    The findings highlight a function that is becoming increasingly strategic, while also facing growing pressure to balance competing priorities. Medical Affairs teams are being asked to demonstrate greater commercial value while maintaining scientific and ethical independence, and to embrace AI without losing the trust and expertise that underpin their relationships with KOLs and HCPs.

    Three themes stand out. KOL and HCP engagement and evidence generation remain central to Medical Affairs priorities, while AI has emerged as the most significant trend shaping the function. However, enthusiasm for its potential is balanced by concerns around its impact. Overall, respondents see Medical Affairs becoming more strategic, accountable and influential, evolving from simply communicating data to, as one director described it, “orchestrating intelligence.”

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