As the pharmaceutical industry faces an unprecedented surge of product launches, most companies plan to handle this expansion without significantly increasing their commercial teams. David Medina Tato, Vice President of Link Strategy at Veeva Systems, believes the solution lies not in adding more people or tools but in creating the right structure for agile, focused collaboration. In this interview, he discusses why smaller, well-equipped teams often outperform larger ones, how early scientific engagement drives launch success, and how authentic connections with physicians can be strengthened through technology and empathy.
Moe: The industry is entering a historic wave of product launches, yet most companies intend to manage them without expanding their commercial teams. How do you see the “do more with less” mindset evolving?
David Medina Tato: We have to break the perception that doing more requires more. Sometimes, adding people, tools, or data makes execution harder. Decision-making becomes like trying to agree on a pizza topping with five people instead of two—it gets exponentially more complex. Keeping teams small can actually be advantageous.
It’s not about “doing more with less”; it’s about finding the right approach. Simplification is key—having smaller, technology-enabled teams that operate within one ecosystem so they don’t have to jump between platforms. Staying in a unified system maintains focus, ensures compliance by design, and eliminates redundant data handling. The goal isn’t more data, but the right data, at the right time.
Moe: Veeva data shows that pre-launch scientific activities can accelerate adoption by up to 40%. What makes early scientific engagement so critical?
David: Identifying and engaging the right opinion leaders early is so critical because they can influence hundreds or even thousands of HCPs through their networks, publications, and peer discussions. By focusing on these experts early on, especially through congress activities, companies can reach more physicians and ultimately more patients.
The other consideration is access. Instead of chasing key opinion leaders who are already oversaturated, through our HCP Access solution we identify clinicians who want engagement—those seeing patients with unmet needs or noticing gaps in care.
By also prioritizing these physicians, companies can deliver relevant information to those who both need and value it. That means understanding who genuinely drives knowledge, and prioritizing those who both have access and want to engage.
Moe: Your KOL satisfaction report found that physicians want more personalized, coordinated engagement and feedback. What’s driving these gaps, and how can companies close them?
David: Too often, physicians feel treated as transactional assets rather than partners. The sales rep, MSL, and clinical team each approach them from different angles without coordination. That’s not how real human relationships work.
If internal teams talk to one another—share insights, respect the physician’s time, and coordinate follow-up—the relationship shifts from being person-to-person to company-to-partner. Veeva’s role is to give teams a single line of sight through integrated CRM and data platforms, ensuring the conversation stays relevant and respectful. When you keep discussing topics a physician doesn’t care about, you lose trust—and once that’s gone, so is influence.
Moe: Today’s stakeholder network is broader than ever—from digital opinion leaders to patient advocates. How can field teams keep pace with such a complex ecosystem?
David: It’s about discernment. Tools like Veeva Link Key People help filter the noise by grounding analysis in scientific activity. Not every loud voice on X or YouTube is scientifically credible. We decided that inclusion in our platform requires demonstrable scientific contribution.
That was a hard choice, but necessary. Engagement should be rooted in data and evidence. Of course, influence on social media matters, and companies must decide how much weight to give it. But grounding outreach in science protects credibility and ensures teams are speaking to the right experts.
Moe: Where do you see AI and connected data having the greatest impact on helping medical and field teams make better, faster decisions?
David: Veeva Link connects to roughly a quarter-million live data sources. Impressive—but overwhelming if it’s all unfiltered. That’s where AI comes in. Embedded AI understands your objectives and surfaces only the insights that matter most.
AI’s role isn’t to replace human interaction; it’s to distill massive data into usable intelligence. Machines can’t replicate empathy or personal understanding, but they can save time by surfacing the most relevant information—so humans can focus on relationships.
Moe: Is there anything you’d like to add?
David: We’re experimenting with network analysis—visualizing how physicians, associations, and companies connect and evolve over time. For medical affairs, understanding these networks can reveal how influence spreads and where engagement truly drives impact.
AI makes it possible to interpret these complex webs, but experimentation alone isn’t enough. We’re disciplined about focusing on real use cases—where the technology actually adds value, not just novelty.
This article is sponsored by Veeva Systems
Moe Alsumidaie is Chief Editor of The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Moe holds decades of experience in the clinical trials industry. Moe also serves as Head of Research at CliniBiz and Chief Data Scientist at Annex Clinical Corporation.
