Medical Translations

Medical translations are a specialist translation that caters for the healthcare
industry. Many countries have strict regulations to ensure that any medical
equipment or drug descriptions are translated into the national language before
they are sold in the open market. This is understandable given that the medical
profession is always dealing with life and death situations. It is paramount for
any translated text or description to be perfectly accurate. There are serious
legal consequences for medical companies who disregard these regulations.

Why Do People Need Medical Translations?

Apart from the regulatory requirements imposed by the state, there is also
another good reason for medical translations. They allow the local clinicians,
patients, and government representatives to understand them. Most countries
will also require medical companies to submit regulatory approval applications to
the local health ministry and these applications must be written in the national
language. Research documents needed to conduct clinical trials must also be
presented in the national language.

Specialist Medical Translation and General Translation

A general translator is not able to translate technical medical terms effectively.
To prove a point, how much do you really understand in the following drug
descriptions that were written in English?

“BIAXIN is available as immediate-release tablets, extended-release tablets, and

granules for oral suspension. Each yellow oval film-coated immediate-release
BIAXIN tablet (Clarithromycin tablets, USP) contains 250 mg or 500 mg of
Clarithromycin.”

Or

“Oleum Terebinthinae is a thin colourless liquid having a characteristic taste and

odour, becoming more intense with age and by exposure. Soluble in alcohol and
glacial acetic acid. It readily dissolves resins, wax, sulphur, iodine, and
phosphorus.”

If you find it hard to comprehend these texts in English, can you imagine how
difficult for a general translator to translate it to another language so that the
target audience would understand perfectly? Therefore, most specialist medical
translators are themselves medically qualified or have a background in bio-
chemistry and medical sciences. This ensures that they are able to produce
translations that can be understood easily by the local practitioners and patients.

What medical materials are translated?

Medical translations can cover a range of areas including technical, clinical,
medical devices, and drugs. The following is a non exhaustive list of medical
materials that are commonly translated:

• Drugs patents

• Medical machine patents

• Application documents for regulatory approval

• Clinical trial documents such as patient consent form, case report forms,
trial protocols

• Instruction manuals for medical equipment

• Medical equipment operational software

• Description label for drugs

• Electronic training and learning programs for the doctors and medical staff

• Medical websites

• Drug explanation brochures

• Medical equipment catalogues

• Technical manuals for medical machines

• Patient records

• Research journals

• Pharmaceutical research reports

• Medical letters

• Medical checkup reports

• Health information leaflets

• Government health notices

• Doctors hand written records

Medical Translation Process

The original text will first be translated by a specialist medical translator. After
that, another professional translator will proofread the translated text to make
sure that it is accurate. Following that, an in-country medical expert will be hired
to review the translations to ensure that it meets all the regulatory specifications
and understandable to the local medical practitioners.