Medical Affairs Outsourcing Market Size and Trends

Global medical affairs outsourcing market is estimated to be valued at USD 2.31 Bn in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 5.21 Bn by 2031, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3% from 2024 to 2031.

Medical Affairs Outsourcing Market Key Factors

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Global medical affairs outsourcing market is witnessing growth due to rising R&D investment in drug development by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Various advantages offered by medical affairs outsourcing such as reduced operational costs, access to experts and specialists, flexibility and scalability drives more companies to outsource their medical affairs requirements. Key market players are focusing on expanding service offerings such as medical information, medical communications and regulatory affair services to garner more share.

Rising high level of quality offered by the CROs with increasing R&D expenditures

Global medical affairs outsourcing market is witnessing significant growth due to increasing R&D expenditures coupled with rising clinical trial activity among sponsors. Due to growing complexity and cost of drug development, pharmaceutical and biotech companies are under immense pressure to launch new therapies faster and more efficiently. This has boosted demand for strategic outsourcing of medical affairs functions to contract research organizations (CROs) that can ensure end-to-end clinical trial support. CROs are now able to provide full spectrum medical expertise and services across the entire product lifecycle, from early discovery to commercialization and post marketing support. These have deep therapeutic experience and a global infrastructure to effectively handle worldwide trials. CROs also continuously invest in innovative technologies like artificial intelligence and analytics to improve protocol design, optimize site selection and management, enhance patient recruitment and retention. This high level of expertise, scale of operations and focus on digital solutions allow CROs to successfully deliver complex global programs within targeted timelines and budgets for their biopharma clients. Due to substantial investments in research and development and a robust pipeline of therapeutic developments, medical affairs outsourcing market will witness significant growth. For instance, according to the Pharmaceutical Industry and Global Health Facts and Figures 2021 Report, biopharmaceutical industry's annual research and development spending surpasses that of the aerospace and defense industries by 7.3 times, exceeds the chemicals industry by 6.5 times, and is 1.5 times greater than the software and computer services industry. This underscores the industry's strong commitment to advance medical innovations and underscores the anticipated expansion in medical affairs outsourcing services. In March 2021, according to an article published by Anju Life Sciences Software, enhanced data quality, improved safety decisions, lowered trial operation expenses, and accelerated study timelines boosts the success of early phase trials. This trend underscores the growing demand for outsourcing services provided by CROs.

Rising demand for scientific and clinical expertise

Global medical affairs outsourcing market growth is driven by growing needs of pharmaceutical and biotech companies for scientific and clinical expertise. With continuous evolution of science and advancement in research, there is constant development of new treatment options, drug delivery mechanisms, and diagnostic methods in the healthcare industry. However, most pharmaceutical and biotech companies find it challenging to hire and retain experienced medical affairs specialists with deep therapeutic area knowledge and clinical research skills in-house. Outsourcing medical affairs activities allows them to access a broader pool of scientific and therapeutic area experts on an ongoing basis without having to invest extensively in building internal medical capabilities. Medical affairs outsourcing vendors help life sciences organizations stay updated with the latest clinical evidence and treatment practices to effectively engage with healthcare professionals and gain their confidence in new products. This assumes more importance as clinical dossiers grow more comprehensive and regulators place greater emphasis on real-world effectiveness and safety of approved therapies. Access to specialized therapeutic knowledge and skillsets on demand through outsourcing has become critical for pharmaceutical companies as thse navigate an increasingly complex regulatory, clinical and marketplace environment.