METM19 presentation
In recent years, clinical trials have become an increasingly global affair, and the trend to move clinical trials from the country where the product is being developed into emerging countries continues to grow. Translation services are necessary to accurately represent the implementation and outcomes of these trials. The language used in clinical trial protocols is becoming more and more differentiated, as it blends medical, administrative and technical jargon, and it involves many traits which are not seen in other medical documents. At the other end of the spectrum are informed consent forms that ask the patient to agree to the protocol for his/her participation and the language must be understood regardless of level of education. Although the consequences of an inaccurate translation can be extremely serious in terms of human lives, credibility and economic revenues, translation is often the last step in the planning of an international clinical trial, and it is rarely given the attention that it requires.
The importance of clinical translators is a key element in the implementation of these trials and the way pharmaceutical companies interpret patient report outcomes. This presentation will describe elements and definitions of clinical trials and will give translators tools to familiarize themselves with clinical trials, examples about cultural adaptation as a significant component of their work, and suggestions on how to enter this specialization.
About the presenter
Matthias Steiert is co-founder and COO of Afaf Translations, which specializes in language services to the pharmaceutical industry. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Basel, Switzerland.
Translation and clinical trials – between scientific precision and cultural adaptation
Matthias Steiert, San Leandro, CA, USAIn recent years, clinical trials have become an increasingly global affair, and the trend to move clinical trials from the country where the product is being developed into emerging countries continues to grow. Translation services are necessary to accurately represent the implementation and outcomes of these trials. The language used in clinical trial protocols is becoming more and more differentiated, as it blends medical, administrative and technical jargon, and it involves many traits which are not seen in other medical documents. At the other end of the spectrum are informed consent forms that ask the patient to agree to the protocol for his/her participation and the language must be understood regardless of level of education. Although the consequences of an inaccurate translation can be extremely serious in terms of human lives, credibility and economic revenues, translation is often the last step in the planning of an international clinical trial, and it is rarely given the attention that it requires.
The importance of clinical translators is a key element in the implementation of these trials and the way pharmaceutical companies interpret patient report outcomes. This presentation will describe elements and definitions of clinical trials and will give translators tools to familiarize themselves with clinical trials, examples about cultural adaptation as a significant component of their work, and suggestions on how to enter this specialization.
About the presenter
Matthias Steiert is co-founder and COO of Afaf Translations, which specializes in language services to the pharmaceutical industry. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Basel, Switzerland.
