As the Information Landscape Changes, So Must Medical Affairs

Author(s): Victoria Kent

Over 500 Medical Affairs professionals from around the world arrived in Zurich, Switzerland, for the annual Medical Affairs Professional Society (MAPS) EMEA meeting on 17–19 May 2026. One of the strongest recurring themes was the increasing complexity of Medical Affairs’ role in communicating its science and how the environment it operates in is rapidly evolving.

The information environment is changing faster than Medical Affairs can respond with current operating models

HCPs, patients and payers are currently navigating an overload of health information, as well as combatting ‘MDM’ - misinformation, disinformation and malinformation. WHO describes this as an infodemic - an overabundance of information, including false or misleading information, that creates confusion, harmful risk-taking and mistrust in health authorities, and undermines public health messaging. Social media, peer communities and digital opinion leaders (DOLs) are shaping what people notice, trust and search for, often in real time – often before they encounter formal medical education or original content. This creates a risk that misinformation is not only consumed, but also repeated and reinforced within professional conversations.