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What exactly does ‘technical translator’ or ‘medical translator’ mean? Here you’ll find an overview of the types of texts I usually translate within my sectors of specialisation – biomedicine, pharma, tech, life sciences and marketing.
I specialise in certain fields within these sectors. For example, for my medical clients, I often translate texts for large medical devices, which are driven by the laws of physics. These projects often include accompanying software, video tutorials and training courses. For the pharma sector, on the other hand, I’m particularly experienced in translating clinical studies and drug manufacturing procedures.
Take a look to get an idea of the niches I’m most experienced in.
There’s no room for error in life sciences texts. What you write and how you write it can have a big impact on how your text is received by its audience.
My translations always comply with European guidelines, including EU regulations for medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics, Italian legislation and the guidelines issued by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) and Italian National Institute of Health (ISS). I also make use of the EDQM and MedDRA glossaries.
When translating patient-facing content, I use easy-to-understand, inclusive language with well-chosen, neutral words to enhance patient compliance.
Summaries of product characteristics (SmPC), package inserts, patient information leaflets (PIL), pharmacoeconomic studies, investment reports, standard operating procedures (SOP) for manufacturing application programming interfaces and reaction intermediates, transport instructions, press releases, manual user interfaces and pharmaceutical laboratory equipment (reactors, laboratory scales and other equipment).
User and operator manuals, technical assistance manuals, instructions for use (IFU), declarations of conformity, field safety notices, recall notices, distributor communications, labelling and packaging, electromagnetic compatibility (ECM) sheets, brochures, clinical surveys, in-vitro diagnostics (IVD), IVD procedures and implantable medical devices.
Titles, protocols and synopses, patient and caregiver informed consent forms (ICF) and assent forms, information for participants, protocol amendments, investigator’s brochures (IB), case report forms (CRF), training programmes and materials for nursing staff, letters for general practitioners (GPs) or specialists, ethics committee and IRB opinions, information on data and sample processing, risk assessments, flowcharts, study recruitment campaigns and invitations, IMP shipping documentation, packaging and cartons, patient cards, progress reports, final reports, scientific papers and articles, scientific reviews, posters, presentations and investor reports.
Brochures, guides and guidelines, awareness campaigns, participant recruitment campaigns for clinical studies, informed consent forms, and medical and pharmaceutical information in accessible language.
Ophthalmology, dentistry, orthopaedics, mechanical ventilation and intensive care, heart surgery, large diagnostic machines (PET, NMR, MRI, surgical lasers, TAC and OCT).
The tech sector is quite broad, but there are some common principles I keep in mind when translating texts within each niche.
Firstly, all documentation must respect machinery safety regulations and comply with ISO 20607 instruction handbook principles, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) and the CLP Regulation.
Secondly, the translator must be well-versed in the European regulatory system so they can identify and stay up to date on product safety directives relevant to each project. I take a critical approach to translating instructions, articles, subtitles and digital content. I’ll let you know if I spot anything that could cause problems, confusion or mistakes, making life easier for you and your customers.
Read on to discover my specialist areas. Don’t see your niche? Then let’s chat – I’m more than happy to delve into related sectors.
Translations of your safety data sheets (SDS) and material safety data sheets (MSDS) must comply with European regulations. They should contain accurate descriptions of physical and chemical features and clear, immediately actionable safety instructions in case of emergencies.
Your manual must conform to guidelines in order to avoid jeopardising the CE marking of your device. Well-translated manuals and guides can also help you reduce the number of customer support calls you receive.
We use many everyday words to describe physical quantities, so it quickly gets confusing. A translator who understands metrology and how measurements work will help you avoid this.
Water pump and component manuals, subtitles for technician training programmes, white papers, water network management and optimisation software, and more.
In addition to sustainability reports, I translate solar panel and wind turbine manuals for private companies and protocols for managing large installations such as high voltage grids, recycling machinery and Waste-to-Energy plants.
Machinery manuals for farm and livestock management, safety data sheets (SDS) for fertilisers, pesticides and chemicals, white papers and international guidelines.
Your marketing materials need to win over your audience. A translator who understands the technical content and copywriting strategies used in the original text can help you adapt them for your new target audience.
My digital marketing and copywriting training, combined with my experience in localisation (L10N), internationalisation (I18N), and globalisation (G11N ), mean I can easily identify the main focus of an advertising message and localise it for the Italian market. I’ll also advise you on whether you need to adapt the visual layout.
You’ll receive a translated webpage or brochure as captivating as the original. It’ll also reflect your chosen tone of voice – professional, friendly, tongue-in-cheek or whatever you choose.
Do you need to translate webpages, downloadable content, regular newsletters or email sequences for new subscribers? I’ll translate all your content carefully and consistently so your readers know they can trust you.
Whether you want your translated booklet or brochure to appear on paper, desktop, screens or smartphones, I’ll consider how I can best adapt the original content to suit the intended visual layout, length and format.
Corporate magazines, specialist magazines, press materials, brand value booklets and social media and website content.
Email marketing texts, A/B tests, opinion polls, market research, AdWords campaigns, banners, and awareness and volunteer recruitment campaigns.
‘Transcreation’ is the term we use to describe a particularly creative translation. If you need to translate ads with a larger-than-life tone of voice, websites packed with idioms, or if your content refers to local customs, this is the ideal solution. Perfect for when a more faithful translation just won’t cut it.
It’s understandable to have lots of questions when choosing a new supplier. You’ll want to know how I work, which tools I use, how to send your files to me and more. Read the answers to the questions my clients often ask me in my FAQ.
Do you need to work with an Italian scientific translator? Tell me about your project and I’ll get back to you very soon.
Please let me know what your text is about, what file format it’s in, its word count and when you need it by. I’ll then get back to you and let you know if I can help.
If you’d like me to take a look at your file then you can email me at: contact@saratirabassi.com.
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