Medical communications - often called "medcomms" - is a dynamic and essential part of the healthcare industry. It covers everything from developing scientific content and educational programs to supporting research and facilitating communication between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals.
Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned professional, understanding the language of medcomms is key to navigating projects and collaborating with stakeholders. That’s why the team at CTC has created this A-Z dictionary: a quick-reference guide to common medical communications terms and acronyms, alphabetized for easy browsing.
A
Ad Board: Short for “Advisory Board,” a structured meeting of expert healthcare professionals (HCPs) who provide strategic input. Learn more in our Resource Hub.
C
CME: Stands for Continuing Medical Education the act of providing continuous learning to healthcare professionals, which can be accredited or accredited.
D
Data-on-File (DOF): Proprietary, unpublished data held internally by a pharmaceutical companies.
E
Engagement tactic: A strategy or tool (i.e. a post-congress update) used to drive interaction with healthcare professionals.
e-Learning module: Online training content often used in medical education programs.
F
Fair balance: A regulatory requirement for educational programs whereby the full management landscape should be discussed, including competitor data if necessary, along with both the benefits and risks of a therapy.
Fair Market Value (FMV): In healthcare, Fair Market Value ensures that compensation for services, like consulting with healthcare professionals in advisory boards, is fair and reasonable, aligning with industry regulations and ethical considerations.
G
Gap analysis: A tool used to identify unmet educational or clinical needs in a target audience. Also known as a needs assessment or insight gathering.
H
Healthcare Organization (HCO): A not-for-profit organization run by healthcare providers that may act as a liaison between accrediting bodies, an agency, and a pharmaceutical company.
Healthcare professional (HCP): Any licensed individual involved in patient care.
Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR): A field focused on demonstrating the value and effectiveness of healthcare interventions.
I
Investigator-initiated study (IIS): A study initiated and managed by a physician or researcher, sometimes supported by pharma.
J
Journal supplement: A collection of articles on a single topic published alongside a journal’s regular issue or a scientific publication.
K
Key Opinion Leader (KOL): An influential HCP whose expertise can shape clinical practice and education.
Knowledge transfer: The process of communicating scientific or clinical information clearly and effectively.
L
Learning objectives: Defined outcomes that guide the design of medical education activities.
M
Medical affairs (MA): The work of collaborating with individuals and organizations in the healthcare industry to enhance engagement across the medical community.
Medical Review Committee (MCR): A cross-functional team that reviews medical content for accuracy and compliance.
Medical Science Liaison (MSL): Field-based scientific experts who engage with HCPs on behalf of pharmaceutical companies.
N
Needs assessment: An evaluation used to identify knowledge or practice gaps in a target audience.
O
Off-Label: The prescription of a drug for a condition other than that for which it has been officially approved.
Other Learning Activity (OLA): A broad term encompassing various non-accredited educational programs and events aimed at healthcare professionals.
On-Label: Information or promotion that adheres to the drug’s approved indications and usage.
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE): A standardized performance assessment used in medical education to evaluate clinical skills.
P
Plain Language Summary (PLS): A simplified version of a scientific study for patients or the public.
Plan of Action (POA): A strategic framework used in planning activities like launches or HCP engagement.
Publication plan: A roadmap for communicating clinical data through abstracts, posters, and manuscripts.
R
Regulatory review: The process of evaluating medical communications content for compliance with industry guidelines.
S
Symposia: A formal meeting where HCPs or KOLs discuss a specific topic or related topics.
T
Target audience: The specific group of HCPs, patients, or stakeholders being addressed in a communication.
U
Unmet need: A gap in current treatment or education that justifies the need for new interventions or messaging. Usually identified through a needs assessment.
Unique selling proposition (USP): A health product’s differentiating factor that drives its value message.
V
Value proposition: A statement that summarizes why a health product or intervention is valuable to the HCP or patient.
W
White paper: A detailed, non-promotional document exploring a clinical or health issue.
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