Beyond citations: How Altmetric shapes the future of research impact in medical affairs

What if research impact didn’t take years to surface? In today’s medical research landscape, there is an increasing demand for faster, more meaningful ways to understand how research is making a difference. In a recent Off Label: Movers and Shakers interview, Miguel Garcia, Vice President of Product at Altmetric (Product Director at the time), shared how the company is redefining research impact, especially within medical affairs. Drawing on over a decade of experience in research software, Miguel stressed the need for metrics that go beyond traditional citations to reflect real-time, societal relevance.

“Citations take years…society can’t wait that long,” Miguel noted. Altmetric offers immediacy, capturing live mentions of research across media and social platforms, helping professionals make timely, informed decisions. This is especially critical in clinical and pharmaceutical contexts, where understanding impact swiftly can affect patient outcomes and guide funding decisions.

One standout feature is the integration of BlueSky as a data source, part of Altmetric’s broader strategy to diversify beyond the major social platforms. “Social media is more fragmented than ever,” Miguel explained. “We’re betting on new platforms to capture where real conversations are happening.”

Altmetric is also now tracking mentions in clinical guidelines, a significant proxy for societal impact when direct patient data isn’t accessible. This addition helps medical affairs professionals trace how research translates into real-world treatment recommendations.

Looking ahead, Miguel teased powerful new features on the horizon, including sentiment analysis of social media mentions and automated summaries of research attention. These upgrades will offer clearer context for data, helping users not just measure impact, but understand and explain it.

Altmetric is building the future of research intelligence, where real-time data, diverse sources, and societal relevance converge to inform the next generation of medical and scientific progress.

Want to learn more? Don’t hesitate to contact the Altmetric team.

Watch the complete interview: MyMA Movers & Shakers – featuring Miguel Garcia from Altmetric.