Medical devices could be ranging from a simple thermometer to a complex pacemaker which is required in every region to accommodate people’s medical needs accordingly. This is where medical device translation services play their role. As medical devices are life-saving tools and types of equipment and knowing the proper and right use is crucial.
Healthcare is a global issue and countries and nations do realize how sharing medical knowledge across boundaries can work for their betterment and could turn out to be beneficial. However, language is the real hindrance, not everyone speaks the same language and people get to experience difficulty due to the language problem. These are the problems that make medical device translation a significant practice. However, like all other domains, there are a lot of challenges that translators have to come across with while translating the content. Medical translation is particularly a tough field, it requires particular expertise in the field with language proficiency. So, there are particular challenges that translators have to navigate through while working on the translation of medical devices.
Some of these are:
1. Understanding the types of medical devices
Medical devices contain a variety of equipment and machines that require a different translation for a different device. Also, these have different formats and patterns. These mainly include
- Hardware
- Software
- Firmware
- Installation
- Instruction manuals
- Permission and order form.
However, it is important to note that these are not necessarily all for medical devices.
Manuals and descriptions further include
- Operating manuals
- Installation instructions
- Instructions for use
- Patents and regulatory compliance documents
- Patents for surgical devices
- Patents for medical device
- Medical device graphic user interface
- Regulatory compliance documents for the US, European Union, and Asian countries
- Manufacturing process description
- Package inserts and labels
Translation and localization services include
- Website content
- Marketing and advertising material
- Training, educational documents, and multimedia materials
All these documents are high volume and require translation for medical devices which is quite a tough part of this translation this is why companies should also go for a professional translation company as compared to a freelanced translator.
2. Medical jargon
This is the foremost important factor that makes this translation challenging. Medical terminology and jargon are really tough and difficult to understand. The medications are also referred to with two names: a brand name and a generic name. This is why the translators who contribute to medical device translation services often get stumbled upon as they don’t always know and understand every term and particularly the brand names. Additionally, there are many generic names for the diseases too and these are different medical terms. An example of chickenpox is there, chicken pox’s scientific name is ‘varicella’ and people barely know about it. The situation gets challenging and even experienced translators have to take help or consult authentic resources so that they don’t convey something which is not right and accurate.
3. Frequent changes in Rules and regulations
Professional medical device translation services also get tough due to frequent changes in the rules and regulations regarding medical and pharmaceutical practices. The regulations for medical devices also get changed and keep varying with the countries and regions. It often gets tough for translators to keep track of rules and laws with reference to their target audience. However, the translators are left with no choice and they can’t go against the laws so for the translation of medical equipment and apparatus they have to check for the relevant laws and notices issued by the regulatory authorities.
4. Translation influence on marketing
Translation has a long-lasting impact on the market. Other than the accurate translation and terminology understood by the local masses medical devices also require to have a translation that makes sense to the potential users which not only makes them satisfied but rather engages the audiences and makes them buy the products. Keeping translation relevant is really important. It is important to use terms and words that adhere to the choices of the audience and which also make marketing the product easy. These factors get challenging for translators to stay consistent, precise, and to the point with the incorporation of the right strategies of marketing and market choices.
5. Certifications
Medical device translation companies often claim to offer certified translation, however, not all of these are registered and certified. Translation agencies and translators who agree on taking up the projects of medical equipment and their translation should try to be transparent with the companies and business owners. They don’t get that straight and rather try to mint money by fooling people. Due to such practices, many times the real authorized and certified services also have to suffer making it challenging to strive in the market. Thus, it gets extremely problematic and challenging to make people believe the certifications. However, the certified companies do get the documental and other proofs and certificates.
6. Localization and cultural appropriateness
Cultural factors have been always important for audiences. Also, people practice different cultures in different regions. Translators many time lack that information despite experts in their fields. So a lot of them forget to consider this factor while putting their efforts into the translation. Nonetheless, the translators, as well as the translation agencies, need to ensure that they have the proper research on the culture of the target audience. Hiring native speakers in this regard can work better as they will know the culture well and can also guide the rest of the team on how they should avoid certain things and should be conscious and mindful of particular phrases and products.
The same goes for religious and political factors. Translators and localization experts should be aware that cultural and religious beliefs need to be checked and avoided to avoid any kind of controversy and conflict. Not getting updated about religious and cultural beliefs can make writers use particular words which may spark controversies and this negligence can ruin the whole effort of medical device language translation and can have a bad influence. This is why it is important that translators are native speakers who are well aware of their culture too.
Final words
Translation on the whole is a challenging process and draining one. However, when it comes to medical and technical translation, it gets more extensive and challenging. Translating the text of medical devices and equipment is also no different and therefore could drain the translators. It does have its challenges which make it tough for the companies to offer what they committed for. Medical jargon, understanding the documents and their format, and changes in the laws are a few of these factors which make the process more challenging.
