Medical Advisor

Role Overview

Medical Advisor at Abbott in the Established Pharmaceutical division, based in Dubai, UAE. This is an Oncology Field based Medical Advisor role.

Company Overview

Abbott is a global healthcare leader creating breakthrough science to improve people's health. The Established Pharmaceuticals division is committed to bringing the benefits of trusted medicines to more people in the world's fastest-growing countries. The broad portfolio covers multiple therapeutic areas, including gastroenterology, women's health, cardiometabolic, pain management/central nervous system, and respiratory.

Role Purpose

Develop scientific partnerships with key opinion leaders and healthcare professionals in the oncology therapeutic area through evidence-based communication and education. Ensure compliance with all applicable regulations while delivering credible medical information and supporting clinical research initiatives across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain territories.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure all activities and interactions comply with applicable local, global, and national laws, regulations, guidelines, codes of conduct, company policies, and accepted standards of best practice.
• Report any adverse event or safety concern to the pharmacovigilance department within 24 hours.

Stakeholder Interactions

• Develop scientific partnerships with key opinion leaders and healthcare professionals through evidence-based communication and education on oncology products and the therapeutic area.
• Conduct regular interactions with KOLs, targeting 4-5 visits per day.
• Execute KOL mapping by categorizing and developing action plans for each KOL throughout the year after aligning with direct manager.
• Set at least 2 action plans per KOL per year based on preset selection criteria.
• Develop and maintain KOL list across UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain territories (at least 10-15 per therapeutic area).
• Provide scientific and technical support to key opinion leaders and academic centers to ensure access to current medical and scientific information on the oncology therapeutic area in compliance with Abbott policy and country regulations.
• Deliver credible presentations and education on the oncology therapeutic area and clinical evidence of products to healthcare professionals individually or in groups, including meetings and clinical sessions.
• Participate in the selection process to identify appropriately qualified physicians for collaborative efforts such as research collaborations, lectures, round tables, congresses, and symposia, ensuring high-level scientific and educational integrity without influence from prescribing behavior.
• Attend relevant scientific society meetings and conferences; develop summaries of key messages for use within the company regarding areas of scientific interest, new trends in diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
• Provide key opinion leaders and internal medical teams with scientific and technical support for publications of scientific or medical interest.
• Identify and develop local speakers and upgrade them to regional and global levels.
• Support inclusion of new products.

Promotional Materials

• Ensure approved scientific materials are distributed and used in accordance with company policy and local laws.
• Inform the commercial team to withdraw or refrain from using any promotional or scientific material that is not approved or expired after aligning with direct manager.

Clinical Research Performance

• Identify investigators appropriate for clinical trials.
• Assist in the initiation, oversight, and follow-up of assigned clinical studies and medical projects within the oncology therapeutic area, including post-marketing clinical activities such as registry/database projects, epidemiological surveys, post-authorization studies (phase IV), and investigator-initiated studies (IIS) projects, ensuring compliance with applicable local laws, guidelines, codes of practice, standard operating procedures, and Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development (GPRD) standard operating procedures.

Medical Information

• Respond to unsolicited medical inquiries from healthcare professionals.
• Ensure the sales team reports all medical inquiries, adverse events, and quality complaints on the iSTAR system for medical information.

Brand Team Execution

• Deliver medical refresher training to internal employees and medical representatives on the disease.
• Participate in medical affairs activities including conferences and congresses.
• Generate insights and share them with relevant stakeholders.
• Spend 80% of time in the field in individual KOL interactions or joining the sales team on double visits to support scientific discussions (4 days out of 5 in field).
• Participate routinely in brand team meetings.
• Involve medical activity in strategic initiatives.
• Support medical team members in collecting insights during the molecule assessment process.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in health sciences (M.D., Ph.D., PharmD, or postgraduate degree in life sciences or related field is an advantage).
• Minimum 2 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, specifically in oncology (oncology experience is mandatory).
• Previous experience in Medical Science Liaison role preferred.
• Thorough knowledge and experience of the dynamics in the healthcare system and pharmaceutical industry in the Gulf region.

Skills & Competencies

• Effective communication and presentation skills.
• Team player capability.
• Analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken; Arabic is a plus.

Additional Information

• Job Family: Medical & Scientific Affairs
• Division: Established Pharma (EPD)
• Location: Dubai Airport Freezone, Building 5WA, Floor 8, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Work Shift: Standard
• Travel: Yes, 50% of the time
• Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to employee diversity.