What is Medical Writing in Healthcare?
Medical Writing in Healthcare is a major branch of Scientific writing where the development of well-structured scientific documents or prints concerned with medicine or health care takes place.
A medical writing professional must know about both writing and science, joining a writer’s inspired talent with the consistency and depth of research and the scientific process.
Medical writers are concerned with describing, verifying, and sharing scientific and research updates to improve health consequences and save lives.
Their work mainly relies on building peer-reviewed articles concerned with clinical trials, promoting state-of-the-art medical equipment, disseminating information on novel therapies to medical practitioners and the public, or drafting proposals for funding creative research.
The Diverse Role of Medical Writers in Healthcare Communication
Reaching Audiences Across Platforms
Depending on the Medical writers’ role and responsibilities, they carry scientific and clinical information to a wide variety of audiences, including patients, insurance adjusters, and other medical professionals.
Medical writing services play an essential role in ensuring that complex information is accurately communicated, making it accessible and understandable to all relevant stakeholders in the healthcare industry.
Medical writers provide material for a wide range of platforms:
- digital content
- presentations
- videos
- podcasts
- social media
- website materials.
Collaborating for Accuracy and Compliance
Documents outlining study findings, product use, and other medical information are often the outcome of collaborative efforts by medical writers, physicians, and other SMEs. In terms of organization, format, and content, they also make sure that papers adhere to publishing, regulatory, or other standards.
Medical writers play an important role in creating multipurpose apps for smartphones, including Health Promotion, Ongoing training and education, Research and reference for the medical field, and Managing and overseeing the practice.
Most common fields of Medical Writing in Healthcare
Regulatory medical writing
- Authorized documentation
- Regulatory documents (i.e. new drug applications, clinical study protocols, clinical trial data, post-approval document)
- Grantsmanship
- Manuscripts
- Promotional materials (i.e. product brochures, advertisement, web copy, sales training)
Educational medical writing
-
- Individual-level education
- Medical News
- Continuing Medical Education
- Continuous Professional Development
- Scientific publications
- Patient education/health communication
Medical journalism
-
- Magazine articles
- Medical News
- Website content
Key Areas of Medical Writing in Healthcare
Regulatory Documents
One of the most vital types of Medical Writing in Healthcare is regulatory medical writing which regulatory agencies rely on for reviewing and approval of new medications and medical equipment. It is the most formal type of medical writing and relies on medical facts. Any business operating in the pharmaceutical sector needs regulatory writers.
They draft and revise papers for submission to regulatory bodies,requesting the approval of new pharmaceuticals for commercialization or the launch of new clinical studies.
Other Examples of regulatory submission materials:
- drug package inserts
- subject narratives
- annual reports
- Common Technical Documents.
Clinical Trial Documentation
A large number of papers need authoring or updating throughout the duration of a clinical trial, which is a kind of research study that uses human subjects to assess the efficacy of a medical intervention.
Additionally, medical writers are responsible for revising clinical study protocols to reflect changes to the planned research or analyses, updating the Investigator’s Brochure in anticipation of future trials, and reporting drug safety data in the yearly Development Safety Update Report.
The Statistical Analysis Plan is where a skilled medical writer details the final statistical analysis of trial data.
Educational and Research Publications
New knowledge and information continually integrate into the medical sector via a growing number of research investigations and innovative concepts. Medical Writing in Healthcare emphasizes the efficient communication of knowledge to diverse audiences.
Medical communicators gather research findings and provide diverse materials to facilitate the development of instructional activities for doctors and other healthcare practitioners.
The discipline also emphasizes the development of instructional resources for students and patients with specific medical issues.
Additionally, among the vital role of education is continuous medical education credits that are required for healthcare professionals to keep their credentials updated. A continuous medical education program addresses current “gaps” in knowledge among clinicians, the industry, or both.
Medical Writing: A Vital Profession Across Diverse Industries
Medical Writing in Healthcare is a versatile profession that supports a wide range of industries and organizations. Its reach extends far beyond healthcare, benefiting various sectors that rely on accurate, well-structured medical and scientific information.
Key industries and organizations served by medical writers include:
- Professional healthcare associations and organizations
- Authors or researchers
- Biotechnology enterprises
- Clinical or contract research companies (CROs)
- Agencies specializing in communications, marketing, or advertising
- Public sector organizations
- Healthcare organizations or providers
- Publishers of medical literature
- Companies that manufacture medical devices
- Healthcare education enterprises
- Medical institutions or universities
- Media organizations specializing on health and medical news
- Journals that undergo peer review in the medical field
- Pharmaceutical corporations
- Professional trade publications for healthcare practitioners
Each of these fields, including pharma contract research organizations, relies on medical writers to produce accurate, compliant, and accessible content that supports their specific needs, from regulatory submissions and research reports to educational materials and marketing content. Medical writers play a critical role in ensuring that complex scientific data is clearly communicated and aligns with industry standards.
Author: Shaimaa Ragab
References
1– American Medical Writers Association,Ultimate guide to become a medical writer, retrieved from https://info.amwa.org/ultimate-guide-to-becoming-a-medical-writer#medical_writer_resources, retrieved in Oct. 2024.
2- Technical Writer HQ,What is medical writing, retrieved from https://technicalwriterhq.com/writing/medical-writing/, retrieved in Oct. 2024
3- HCL Technologies, What is medical writing, retrieved from https://www.hcltech.com/knowledge-library/what-is-medical-writing, retrieved in Oct. 2024