In today's globalised world, professional pharmaceutical translation is essential. It enables the effective communication between the different stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector, such as manufacturers, regulatory authorities, physicians and patients. Given the specificity and complexity of pharmaceutical language, these translations require a high degree of accuracy and a deep knowledge of both the language and the subject matter. Let us therefore see which aspects to assess when choosing a professional translation agency specialising in medical translations.
In the field of pharmaceutical translation, experience and expertise go hand in hand. Experience is not only limited to the number of years the agency has been in business, but also to the type of projects it has handled in the past. Can they handle the translation of clinical research documents? Do they have experience in translating marketing authorisation documentation? These are essential questions to ask when evaluating the experience of a translation agency for the medical field.
Skills, on the other hand, concern the training and specialisation of the agency's translators: pharmaceutical translation is a specialisation that requires in-depth knowledge of medical and pharmaceutical terminology, and cannot be entrusted to a generic translator. This means that a professional translator in this field should have specific training in the medical or pharmaceutical field, as well as excellent language skills, to ensure the necessary results.
The agency’s quality assurance processes are also crucial. The use of professional proofreaders to check translations is a sign of a high-quality agency, as is the continuous training of translators, which is essential to keep their skills up-to-date. A rigorous translation selection process, which ensures that only the most qualified translators work on projects, is another indicator of the agency's trustworthiness.
In the pharmaceutical sector, knowledge of regulations is not even a point of advantage or distinction: it is an objective necessity. Each country has its own specific laws and regulations governing the production, distribution and sale of pharmaceutical products, which also extend to the documentation that must accompany these products, such as drug package inserts, clinical reports and marketing authorisations.
A translation agency working in this field should have an in-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical industry regulations, so that it can ensure that translations comply not only with language standards, but also with legal and regulatory standards. This may require careful verification and quality control to ensure that all information is accurate and complies with applicable regulations.
Certifications and quality standards are very useful indicators to assess the competence and reliability of a translation agency. For example, some internationally recognised standards, such as ISO 17100 or EN 15038, are specific to the translation industry and demonstrate that the agency follows strict procedures to ensure the accuracy and consistency of translations.
ISO 17100 certification focuses on the skills of staff, project management, resources and processes required to provide high quality translation services. This standard is a good indication that the agency has qualified translators with appropriate linguistic and technical skills and follows a well-defined process that includes reviewing and verifying the quality of the translations. EN 15038, on the other hand, is a specific European standard for translation services and requires the agency to have a well-structured quality management system, including quality control of the translation process, resource management, selection of translators and revisers, and use of appropriate translation tools.
In addition to certifications, however, a good translation agency will be able to provide examples of work previously performed or provide references from satisfied customers. This makes it possible to assess the quality of the agency's work in a more specific way, and to check whether it has experience in the specific field of interest beyond the important adherence to general 'best practice' criteria.
In the pharmaceutical sector, it is common to have to deal with a large volume of documents to be translated within a tight timeframe. The choice of a translation agency must therefore take into account the ability to handle large volumes of work and still meet deadlines, as this is a crucial element in ensuring the success of translation projects.
A good translation agency does not just declare its ability to handle large volumes of work: it demonstrates it through the availability of adequate human resources to be assigned to the project and the use of advanced technological tools. Taking on a medical translation project often means assigning a whole team of experienced translators and qualified proofreaders, thus avoiding work overload that would compromise the consistent quality of the translations.
The agency should also have a solid internal organisation to plan and manage projects efficiently. This includes, on the one hand, proper allocation of resources and effective management of workflows, but also requires, on the external side so to speak, the ability to maintain timely communication with the customer to clarify requirements and deadlines with clear contractual agreements with customers, specifying delivery times, milestones and penalties for unjustified delays.
In general, a good practice is to plan projects carefully, taking into account the time needed for translation, revision and eventual final formatting of documents.
The ability to handle large volumes of work and meet deadlines without compromising the quality of translations requires a balance between human resources, technology and a solid internal organisation. Choosing a translation agency that demonstrates competence in this area will help ensure timely delivery and quality work.
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