ExtendMed vs. Within3

Choosing the right stakeholder engagement platform for your team

We respect the team at Within3. They've built a strong platform for the largest pharma companies. But if you're a small to mid-size life sciences company, ExtendMed is purpose-built for how you work. ​​

At a glance

Deciding which stakeholder engagement solution is right for your organization can be challenging. You need a clear understanding of your options and the differences between them. We know we're not the only platform provider in this space, which is why we want to be transparent about how we compare—and who we're best suited to serve.

ExtendMed was built exclusively for small to mid-size pharma, biotech and medical device companies that need both sophisticated engagement technology and strategic partnership. While Within3 focuses on scaling standardized SaaS for global enterprises, we provide flexible, customizable solutions wrapped in white-glove service.

When Mediar Therapeutics needed an advisory board platform, they chose us over Within3 for one simple reason: we gave them what they actually needed—hybrid sync/async engagement, no year-long commitment, dedicated strategic support and rapid feature customization. The result? Advisors averaged 5 hours of engagement each, with some providing 25+ insights that directly shaped their clinical development strategy.

Why teams choose ExtendMed over Within3

We’re built for small to mid-size companies

We work best with small to mid-size pharma, biotech and medical device companies—not industry giants. We understand the challenge of leveraging limited resources to engage KOLs, convene advisory boards and build speaker programs. That's why our platform and service model are designed to give lean teams maximum impact at a fraction of traditional costs.

Synchronous + async engagement suite

While Within3 focuses primarily on asynchronous engagement, ExtendMed supports both real-time virtual meetings and time-shifted discussions. Host live interactive sessions with polls and Q&A, then continue the conversation through discussion boards. Deploy surveys where responses stay private, enabling sensitive feedback. This combined approach gives teams wholly new capabilities for gathering insights.

White-glove partnership, not just platform access

You get more than software. Each client receives a dedicated senior program manager who provides development, implementation, training and ongoing support. We customize the platform to your specific needs, often responding faster than traditional SaaS models. We're an extension of your team, not a vendor.

Flexible contracting without long-term commitments

We let you start with a 6-month pilot. Run a short-term steering committee engagement. Test the platform on one project before scaling. Our flexible approach lets you evaluate effectiveness without the year-long minimum agreements typical of larger platforms. Grow with us at your pace.

Head-to-head comparison

ExtendMed

  • Best fit: Small to mid-size life sciences companies
  • Engagement options: Full synchronous and asynchronous suite
  • Customization: Highly customizable to your workflows
  • Contract terms: Flexible, short-term options available
  • Service model: White-glove, dedicated program managers
  • Pricing: Starts at $20,000-$25,000 for initial projects
  • Platform focus: Comprehensive stakeholder engagement (sync and async)

Within3

  • Best fit: Largest pharma companies
  • Engagement options: Primarily asynchronous
  • Customization: Standard, rigid SaaS model
  • Contract terms: Typically year-plus-long minimum
  • Service model: More hands-off approach
  • Pricing: Not publicly disclosed, but understood to be much higher
  • Platform focus: Global asynchronous engagement

What makes ExtendMed different

survey on HEC

Resource centers, surveys and discussions in one platform

Beyond discussion boards, we offer resource centers where experts access materials on demand, survey tools with conditional logic for quantitative research and the ability to segment audiences for person-by-person feedback versus group dialogue. This integrated approach helps teams collect insights they simply couldn't before.

reporting dashboard in HEC

Data consolidation across all engagement types

Stop juggling insights across multiple platforms. ExtendMed centralizes results from advisory boards, surveys and discussion forums, so you can analyze activities across them. See patterns across different engagement types, connect dots between stakeholder groups and generate comprehensive reports from one system.

online consulting session

Smaller partner, senior-level attention

Our size is a strategic advantage. You get senior healthcare technology experts on your account, not junior support staff. We can pivot quickly, add features within days rather than quarters, and provide the nimble partnership that large-scale SaaS companies can't match.

Success Story Mediar Therapeutics’ switch to ExtendMed for ad boards

A biotech startup specializing in fibrosis treatment needed strategic insights from interdisciplinary experts but faced budget constraints that made Within3 unfeasible.

We delivered a hybrid virtual advisory board with both live meetings and asynchronous discussions.

The Results:

Advisors contributed average of 5 hours each

Some experts provided 25+ individual insights

Actionable recommendations that advanced clinical development strategy

Stronger relationships with thought leaders across multiple specialties

Superior insights compared to in-person boards at fraction of the cost

Who Benefits Most from ExtendMed?

You're a great fit if you:

Need flexible contracting without year-long commitments
Want both synchronous meetings and asynchronous engagement tools
Seek a customizable solution adapted to your workflows
Prefer a strategic partner over hands-off software access
Need to consolidate data from advisory boards, surveys and discussions
Value senior-level guidance and nimble response times
Work with limited resources and need maximum impact

See how we help teams like yours

Mediar Therapeutics needed rapid, cross-functional insights in fibrosis. We convened a virtual advisory board of top experts, facilitated real-time collaboration and fast-tracked the feedback loop.

extendmed and mediar logos

Read the full case study

A global oncology biopharma used Health Expert Connect™ to orchestrate 1:1s, a dinner forum and follow-ups across ASCO and EHA—centralizing schedules, compliance tracking and KOL analytics to deepen relationships at scale.

Read the full case study

An inflammatory-disease company expanding into nephrology ran asynchronous boards, surveys and chart audits to learn the market fast, refine messaging and engage specialists every six weeks—accelerating entry with lower spend.

Read the full case study

A small pharma prepping first launch scaled stakeholder engagement with a lean team, mixing virtual meetings and ongoing discussion to surface payer hurdles and patient insights early, de-risk and beat rivals to key KOLs.

Read the full case study
jamie arviso ultragenyx profile
Jaime Arvizo Vice President, Head of Medical Affairs

In 25 years of working with vendors, ExtendMed stands at the top of the list. They’re strategic partners, arming my staff with vital statistics and sharing their experience and ideas for the future. They’re nimble and they understand our business. They’ve anticipated issues, recommended new directions and implemented our decisions efficiently.”

ultragenyx-white

Vice President, Group Account DirectorGlobal Medical Comms Firm

We feel your team does the best job out of any vendor we have used for virtual advisory boards.”

Dr. Michael Chang Vice President, Medical Affairs

The virtual format enables more frequent touchpoints while reducing time commitments for busy specialists. We can build relationships and confidence across multiple specialty areas in ways that traditional in-person meetings never could. The platform makes it possible to engage specialists who would never attend a weekend conference but will participate in targeted discussions relevant to their practice."

Better speaker programs in just three steps

Nobody wants to gamble on a complicated new system. That’s why we’ve made getting started with ExtendMed simple and supportive—from first conversation to long-term success.

Express your interest

We'll discuss your goals, current challenges and whether ExtendMed is the right fit for your needs.

Get a tailored demo

See exactly how our platform supports your specific programs. If we're a fit, we'll work closely with your team to customize the solution.

Start small, grow with us

Launch a pilot project with no long-term commitment. Prove the value, then expand at your pace.

A few FAQs

Still have questions? Here are answers to the most common ones we hear from clients exploring Health Expert Connect™.

What's the main difference in how ExtendMed and Within3 approach client support?

Within3 operates primarily as a SaaS platform provider, offering their technology with a more self-service approach suited to large pharmaceutical companies with established internal teams. ExtendMed combines platform technology with white-glove service, providing dedicated program managers, strategic consulting and hands-on support throughout the engagement lifecycle. Our hybrid model means you're not just getting software—you're getting a strategic partner who helps with program design, execution and analysis. For teams that need both technology and expertise, especially those without large internal resources, this full-service option can be invaluable.

How do the contract terms differ between the two platforms?

We’ve heard that Within3 typically requires year-long minimum commitments, which makes sense for their enterprise client base running continuous global programs. ExtendMed offers more flexible terms, including short-term pilot projects starting at $20,000-$25,000, allowing you to test the platform's effectiveness for a single advisory board or speaker program before making a larger commitment. This flexibility is particularly helpful for small to mid-size companies, specific therapeutic area pilots or teams that need to prove ROI internally before scaling. It’s one of the biggest factors that pulls teams from Within3 to us.

Can both platforms handle synchronous and asynchronous engagement?

Within3 is primarily built for asynchronous engagement, which works well for global programs where time zones make live meetings challenging. ExtendMed's Health Expert Connect™ platform supports both synchronous (live meetings) and asynchronous (discussion forums, surveys) engagement, often combining them in hybrid programs. This means you can bookend an advisory board with live sessions to build trust and rapport while using asynchronous discussions for deeper analysis between meetings. The flexibility to mix engagement formats based on your program goals (rather than being limited to one approach) can lead to richer insights and stronger expert relationships.

Who is each platform primarily designed to serve?

Within3 focuses on serving the largest pharma companies with complex, global asynchronous engagement needs. Their platform and pricing model reflect that enterprise focus. ExtendMed was specifically built for small to mid-size pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies, as well as the medical communications agencies that serve them. This means ExtendMed's workflows, pricing and support model are designed around the realities of smaller teams with limited resources. The platform can be licensed for independent use or run as a fully-managed service, depending on your internal capabilities and preferences.

How customizable are the two platforms?

Both platforms can be configured for different use cases, but they take different approaches. Within3 operates on a more standardized SaaS model, which provides consistency across its large client base. At ExtendMed, we emphasize high customizability, with the ability to adapt the platform to your specific SOPs, branding requirements and workflow preferences. For example, when Mediar Therapeutics needed specific features, we developed them in under a week. This agility can be particularly valuable when you have unique compliance requirements, specialized therapeutic area needs or want to integrate with existing systems like Veeva or Salesforce in specific ways.

What happens if we’re working with a medical communications agency—which platform fits better?

This depends on your engagement model. If your agency is handling all program management and just needs technology access, either platform could work. However, ExtendMed specializes in partnering with agencies through white-labeled solutions, co-branded portals and backend support that keeps your agency front-and-center with clients while ExtendMed handles the technology and compliance infrastructure. Many agencies choose ExtendMed over Within3 specifically because they can offer their clients a complete solution—combining their content expertise with ExtendMed's engagement technology—without needing to build or maintain their own platform. ExtendMed essentially becomes an invisible partner that extends the agency's capabilities.

Ready to make the switch?

Request a demo today.

Since 2000, we've helped pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies—plus the agencies that serve them—deliver efficient stakeholder engagement that drives better decisions. Whether you're evaluating alternatives to Within3 or exploring engagement platforms for the first time, we're here to show you what purpose-built partnership looks like.