This is important
Why should you care?
AI is changing how medical teams work. Two new technologies—RAG and MCP—can help you find answers faster and work smarter. Let's break down what they do and how they can help your team.
The Basics
Understanding AI Retrieval Systems
Basic RAG: Your Simple AI Assistant
What it does: RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) works in three steps:
Find the right documents
Add context to your question
Create a complete answer
Good for:
Quick answers from company documents
Help desk questions
Fast responses to common doctor questions
Example: An MSL asks, "What's our latest safety data?" The system finds the right study reports and gives a clear summary.
A step better than basic…
Smart RAG: Your Thinking AI Partner
What it does: This upgraded version can:
Choose the best sources for your question
Search multiple times to get better results
Combine information from different places
Good for:
Research that needs multiple sources
Building profiles of key opinion leaders
Preparing for advisory board meetings
Example: "Show me all recent asthma research from Dr. Smith, plus her speaking history." The system searches medical databases, conference records, and internal notes to build a complete picture.
The newest
What is MCP?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is like a universal connector. It lets AI talk directly to your company's systems—not just read files, but actually work with your tools.
Key benefits:
Connects to Veeva, SharePoint, and other work systems
Can read AND write information
Works with any type of data
Why it matters: MCP doesn't just find answers—it helps you take action. It can create content, update records, and run reports automatically.
So in summary
Comparing the Three Options
Feature | Basic RAG | Smart RAG | MCP |
Speed | Fast | Medium | Medium |
Thinking ability | Simple | Smart | Smart |
Data sources | Few | Many | Unlimited |
Actions | Answers only | Better answers | Answers + actions |
Setup difficulty | Easy | Medium | Complex |
Get involved
Real Ways to Use MCP in Medical Affairs
1. Smart Medical Information Helper
Connects to your databases and PubMed
Gives doctors accurate, approved answers
Tracks what questions come up most
2. Custom Content Creator
Pulls data from multiple sources
Makes personalized presentations for each doctor
Updates content based on latest research
3. Research Planning Assistant
Reviews your studies and competitor data
Suggests where you need more evidence
Helps plan future research
4. Trend Spotter
Watches what doctors are asking about
Finds gaps in your current materials
Alerts you to new topics doctors care about
Getting Started
Think about this scenario: What if you had an AI assistant that could:
Track your top 50 prescribing doctors
See how they engage with your emails and social media
Automatically suggest the best content to send each one
Update their profiles in real-time
This is what MCP can do today.
That’s it for this week.
Keep showing up, keep cheering each other on — and as always, LEVELUP! 💛
The Bottom Line
Use Basic RAG when: You need quick answers from your existing documents.
Use Smart RAG when: You need research that combines multiple sources.
Use MCP when: You want AI to actually work within your business systems and take actions, not just provide answers.
The future of medical affairs isn't just about having better information—it's about having AI that can act on that information to help your team work more effectively.
