Transforming Medical Affairs at Amicus Therapeutics

Medical Affairs leaders talk often about transformation, but few can describe one start to finish, from inside the function. That's the vantage point Joe Giuliano brings to this conversation, drawn from the transformation he led at Amicus Therapeutics before his recent retirement.

Joe Giuliano, who spent nine years leading Medical Affairs at Amicus Therapeutics, joins host Scott Thompson to walk through what that transformation actually involved: rethinking Medical Affairs' role, building belief-driven engagement, enabling digital capability across the field team, and aligning Medical with Commercial without blurring the line between them. If you're leading a Medical Affairs transformation of your own, this is a grounded look at how one actually unfolds.

Key Takeaways:

• Real transformation often starts small. Joe's work at Amicus Therapeutics began as a scoped initiative before expanding into an enterprise-wide shift in how Medical Affairs operated.
• Belief drives engagement more than mandates do. Building a belief-based model meant aligning field teams and strategy around shared conviction rather than top-down directives.
• Data and AI change what MSLs can prove, not just what they can measure. Joe describes shifting emphasis from tracking activity to using data and AI to demonstrate real influence.
• Medical and Commercial can align without blurring lines. The transformation clarified where each function's role began and ended, preserving Medical's independence while improving coordination.
• Leadership vision determines whether change sticks. Joe points to clear leadership direction as the difference between a transformation that takes hold and one that stalls.

FAQ

What did Joe Giuliano's Medical Affairs transformation at Amicus Therapeutics involve?
Over nine years, Joe Giuliano restructured how Medical Affairs engaged stakeholders at Amicus Therapeutics, building belief-driven strategies, enabling digital capability across the field team, and aligning Medical and Commercial around clearly defined, complementary roles.

How can a Medical Affairs team start a transformation without a large mandate or budget?
Joe Giuliano's experience points to starting small: a scoped, credible initiative can build the internal case for a larger, enterprise-wide shift, rather than waiting for full organizational buy-in up front.

What role does data and AI play in Medical Affairs transformation?
The ZS Medical Affairs Outlook Report 2026 found that organizations using AI-enabled workflows are seeing planned engagement capacity increase by roughly 22%, reinforcing Joe Giuliano's point in this episode that data and AI should demonstrate influence, not just log activity.

Who is Joe Giuliano?
Joe Giuliano led Medical Affairs at Amicus Therapeutics for nine years before retiring, and now leads Rare Medical Affairs, drawing on his Medical Affairs strategy and transformation experience to support rare disease organizations.

About Our Guest

Joe Giuliano spent nine years leading Medical Affairs at Amicus Therapeutics, where he drove a transformation touching strategy, digital capability, and field team engagement, before retiring. He now leads Rare Medical Affairs, where he continues to work in Medical Affairs strategy and transformation.

Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-giuliano-b364476/

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OnPoint: The Medical Excellence Podcast delivers insightful conversations on the most pressing issues facing top Medical Affairs professionals. Listen to stay ahead of industry trends and be inspired by leaders shaping the future of Medical Affairs.

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