Medical Affairs, MSLs, and the Blurry Line: Interview with Elizabeth Malson

Описание: Guest: Elizabeth “Liz” Molson (LinkedIn: Elizabeth Molson)
What this convo is really about: The shift to patient-first strategy, why “data-only marketing” hit a wall, and how life sciences teams can rebuild trust and differentiation in an AI-saturated world.

Quick summary

Darshan sits down with Liz Molson to unpack why “direct-to-patient” is circling back, what’s different this time (hint: noise and saturation), and why brand trust is becoming more valuable than yet another round of market research. They also get into the uncomfortable boardroom math: what happens when the C-suite wants measurable ROI right now, private equity needs an exit yesterday, and marketing is still a long game. The discussion closes with a real compliance reality check: when “brand support” starts to look like commercial speech, risk goes up fast.

Key themes you’ll hear
Direct-to-patient is back, but the playbook has changed.
Digital saturation is forcing a return to fundamentals: story, identity, and differentiation.
“If it isn’t measured, it doesn’t exist” broke something important.
Marketing vs. sales got blurred, and that has consequences.
Private equity timelines change what “good marketing” even means.
Cash-pay models and vertical integration are reshaping access and incentives.
Compliance is the guardrail.

Timestamped outline (high level)

0:10 – Intro + who Liz is
Darshan introduces Liz (Elizabeth Molson on LinkedIn) and tees up the big topics: payer-to-patient shift, strategy, marketing change, trust, and careers.
1:26 – Is “direct-to-patient” actually new?
Liz says it’s cyclical. The US has long had DTC dynamics, and the pendulum is swinging again.
2:08 – From TV spots to digital to “what now?”
They talk about early DTC eras (TV ads) and why this next cycle won’t look like the old one.
3:07 – Why it’s different now: the noise problem
Liz argues content is cheap, easy, and overproduced. AI can generate content, but not truly novel connection.
4:48 – Data obsession and what got lost
They dig into the “measurable or it doesn’t matter” mindset and the drop-off in brand identity and human connection.
6:18 – Boardroom problem: ‘Spend money on things we can’t measure?’
Darshan calls out the reality: fixed budgets, tight margins, and higher compliance risk when new channels pop up.
7:10 – Marketing is a long game, but exits aren’t
Liz draws a line: if you’re exiting in ~3 years, you’re optimizing for conversion tactics, not brand building.
9:00 – AI lowers production costs… but you can’t pocket the savings
Liz suggests reallocating savings from content creation into real strategy and storytelling.
9:47 – Private equity pressure and the “two-year overdue exit”
They talk about what PE actually needs: proof of a pipeline and a story that supports valuation.
12:04 – Life sciences timelines: exclusivity windows and strategy choices
They discuss how compressed timelines affect whether you “chase the middle of the funnel” or invest for a bigger future pot.
14:25 – GLP-1s, compounding, and access as the real change statement
Darshan challenges the “great pharma marketing” narrative and points out compounding players moved fast in a looser rule set.
18:42 – Will pharma partner with compounding pharmacies?
Darshan floats a provocative idea: use compounding as the front end, then bring branded pharma in later. Liz pushes back: pharma likely wants to own the vertical.
22:39 – Off-label analogy and compliance risk
They compare this to historical off-label dynamics: what’s “known,” what’s “said,” and what regulators care about.
26:11 – Everyone gets pushed into sales: what happens to Medical Affairs?
Liz asks the key question: in a world where every department is tied to profitability, what is Medical Affairs supposed to be?
29:21 – DOJ logic: white coat doesn’t equal protected speech
Darshan explains how linking Medical Affairs incentives to sales can collapse the separation and increase enforcement risk.
34:31 – Everything is part of the brand, but execution matters
Liz frames brand as the total experience: awareness, conversion, and what people say about you when you’re not speaking.
36:33 – Wrap + how to reach Liz
Liz invites industry folks to connect and be challenged. Darshan closes by teasing a future round two.

Who should listen
Pharma, device, and diagnostics marketers trying to rethink patient strategy
Commercial leaders stuck between brand vs. measurable ROI
PE-backed operators facing short exit timelines
Compliance and Medical Affairs leaders dealing with blurred roles
Anyone building a career in life sciences who wants a sharper strategy lens

Resources mentioned
LinkedIn: Elizabeth Molson (search that name; she goes by Liz)

Guest: Liz Molson (LinkedIn: Elizabeth Molson)
Host: Darshan Kulkarni, DarshanTalks