How to choose the best pharmaceutical translation service
23 Apr How to choose the best pharmaceutical translation service
Pharmaceutical translation is one of the most sophisticated translation subfields in the industry. Translations in this field need to be done by the best translators in the business as they are a no joke assignment.
What to look out for when searching for pharmaceutical translation?
DutchTrans has seen that the pharmaceutical industry has rigorous checks and balances for the content that is their ‘product description’. Not only are lives dependent on the content that is translated, pharmaceutical companies have extensive checks and balances in even the most relaxed third world country labs for the content that they produce.
Accurate translation is needed
Medicine industry is not fooling around anywhere in the world and they do not make unintentional mistakes. The best way to make sure that the translation will actually help the local user of the product is to check and recheck the translation and make sure that no errors are made at any step.
The documents that are translated in the pharmaceutical industry on a regular basis are as follows;
- Case reports
- Protocol Documents
- Brochure
- Synopses
- Label Texts
- Packaging texts
- Training Docs
- Instructions
As you can see from the list yourself, all of them are highly scientific, medical documents overflowing with scientific terminologies and details that are no easy task for even the most experienced translator.
Rules for Every Country!
Every country has its own rules and regulations for the translation in the pharmaceutical industry. The translator will need to read the rules of content writing in the target pharmaceutical industry extensively before even getting near a document that they will translate.
International Testing
International testing is fast becoming a prevalent phenomenon in the international pharmaceutical industry and thus many translations are done in the process of pharmaceutical trials and the results are going to be a massive part of the final assessment.
The translations are done in piles for test results, patent documents, marketing process and the varied steps in between. The translation is also conducted fast and the final translation is required every other day.
Some things to pay attention to
When one looks for a translation agency in the pharmaceutical industry, or for medical translation services, we advise to look for following factors;
Computer-Assisted Translation
In the standard translation industry, computer-assisted translations are frowned upon, but in the pharmaceutical industry, they are heavily encouraged. Because the linguistic accuracy that makes a usual translation confusing is highly encouraged in a pharmaceutical translation.
Pharmaceutical Understanding
The translator needs to, either have a background in medicine, or so much experience that they know the pharmaceutical terminologies like the back of their hands. Make sure that they have the proper knowledge and understanding before you hire them.
Quality Assurance
Pharmaceutical translation, above all else, needs to have very strong multiple reviews before delivered to the client. Every translation assignment has to be treated like a project and two translators have to be assigned that will conduct the translation and review for accuracy. Check and recheck both the human and CAT that is done in the assignment.
You cannot compromise on, skimp or mishandle the quality of the translation that is done for pharmaceutical companies.
Of course, there are moral consequences but also, a pharmaceutical chain of review has checks and balances that normal professional ecosystems cannot fathom. They review and re-review every piece of paper that goes through their desk.
Where a regular boss will write you a recommendation for your ability to find a good translation agency, your boss in the pharmaceutical industry will find fifty faults and will make you find a new agency.
DutchTrans works with some of the best pharmaceutical translators. Call now to know more!