Specialist Medical Translations in Accordance with ISO 17100
Medical translation requires more than linguistic fluency. Medical terminology, clinical context, intended readership and document purpose all influence how information should be expressed in another language. We provide specialist medical translation services for companies, universities, authorities and private individuals requiring accurate translations of medical and healthcare-related documentation.
Our medical translation services cover more than 60 languages and a broad range of documents, from medical reports and patient information to pharmaceutical documentation, medical device materials and instructions for use. With access to a network of more than 5,500 specialist translators, we can select a suitably qualified language professional according to the language combination and subject area of each project.
We are certified according to ISO 17100 for professional translation services and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security. Medical documents can contain highly sensitive personal, clinical and commercial information, making both linguistic quality and secure information handling essential parts of the translation process.
Specialist medical translation for demanding subject areas
Medical texts can contain terminology from highly specialised areas of medicine and healthcare. A document concerning cardiology, orthopaedics or diagnostic imaging presents different linguistic challenges from pharmaceutical documentation, a medical device manual or a patient information document.
For this reason, medical translation should be approached according to the actual subject matter rather than treated as a single general category. Terminology needs to be understood in context, and the translation must reflect the purpose for which the document was written.
Our network of more than 5,500 specialist translators enables us to select professionals according to the language combination and relevant area of expertise.
Medical translation according to ISO 17100
We are ISO 17100-certified for professional translation services. ISO 17100 provides a framework for professional translation processes and defines requirements relevant to the provision of translation services.
For medical translation, a structured professional process is particularly important because terminology can be dense, repetitive and highly context-dependent. Consistency across a document or collection of related documents can significantly affect readability and understanding.
ISO 17100 certification should not be interpreted as medical approval, regulatory approval or certification of the underlying medical content. It relates to the professional translation service and its processes.
Medical translation in more than 60 languages
Healthcare, pharmaceutical and medical technology organisations increasingly work across multiple markets. Documentation may therefore need to be translated into one language or simultaneously into a large number of languages.
We provide professional medical translation services in more than 60 languages. This makes it possible to manage both individual language requirements and multilingual projects involving documentation intended for several countries.
For multilingual projects, it is important to consider terminology across the entire document set rather than viewing each file in isolation. Related source materials and customer-provided terminology can provide useful context.
A network of more than 5,500 specialist translators
Different medical documents require different types of subject knowledge. A translator suitable for a general healthcare document may not necessarily be the most appropriate choice for highly specialised technical documentation concerning a medical device.
We work with a network of more than 5,500 specialist translators. This gives us the flexibility to select professionals according to language combination, subject area and document type.
The purpose is to match the linguistic requirements of the project with relevant specialist knowledge instead of assigning medical content solely according to language availability.
Translation of medical reports
Medical reports may contain diagnoses, observations, examination results, treatment descriptions, abbreviations and terminology associated with a particular medical specialty.
When these reports are translated, the objective is to reproduce the information contained in the original document accurately and clearly. The translator should not add explanations, interpretations or medical conclusions that are absent from the source text.
We translate medical reports for a range of professional and personal purposes. The translation service itself does not provide medical advice or an independent interpretation of the medical information.
Translation of medical records and healthcare documents
Medical records can contain information accumulated over an extended period and may refer to several healthcare professionals, examinations, procedures and treatments.
Consistency is especially important when the same conditions, procedures or medicines appear repeatedly throughout the documentation. Dates, measurements and other factual information also require careful handling.
Where several related documents form part of the same case, providing them together can give useful context and support consistent terminology across the translations.
Translation of clinical documentation
Clinical documentation can be highly specialised and may be written for healthcare professionals, researchers, institutions or other professional audiences.
Terminology must be appropriate to both the medical field and the purpose of the document. A text intended for specialist clinical readers may require a different linguistic approach from material intended for patients or the general public.
When available, project-specific terminology and relevant reference documentation can be supplied with the source files.
Translation of clinical study documentation
Clinical research can generate extensive documentation for different participants and professional audiences.
The documents may include technical, clinical and administrative terminology and can form part of a larger multilingual documentation package. Maintaining consistent terminology between related files is therefore particularly important.
For larger projects, providing associated source documents and relevant customer-approved terminology can help establish the context in which individual documents are used.
Pharmaceutical translation services
Pharmaceutical documentation can combine scientific, medical and technical terminology in the same text.
The intended audience may include healthcare professionals, organisations or patients, and the appropriate style can therefore differ substantially between documents. Specialist terminology must remain consistent while the translation also reflects the function and readership of the original.
We provide professional translation of pharmaceutical and related medical documentation in multiple languages.
Translation of pharmaceutical documents
Pharmaceutical documents can range from specialist technical material to information intended for a broader audience.
Accurate handling of product names, active substances, quantities, dosage-related wording and medical terminology is important. Information should be translated according to the source document without introducing independent medical interpretation.
If a project includes several related pharmaceutical documents, these can be submitted together to provide additional terminology and context.
Medical device translation
Medical device documentation often combines medical terminology with engineering, software and product-specific language.
This makes subject-area selection particularly important. A translator may need to understand both the medical purpose of a device and the technical terminology used to describe its operation.
We translate medical device documentation for manufacturers and other organisations requiring specialist multilingual content. Where customers maintain approved terminology for a product or product family, this material can be provided as reference documentation.
Translation of instructions for use
Instructions for use, often referred to as IFUs, can contain information about intended use, operation, warnings, precautions, preparation, maintenance and other aspects of a product.
Terminology needs to remain consistent throughout the document, particularly when the same components, functions or actions are mentioned repeatedly. The translation should also preserve distinctions present in the source text between instructions, warnings and descriptive information.
When an IFU belongs to a larger set of product documentation, supplying related materials can provide valuable context.
Translation of medical device manuals
Medical device manuals can contain extensive technical and medical content. A single document may discuss hardware components, software functions, operating procedures, maintenance and medically relevant information.
The translation therefore requires careful treatment of terminology across several subject areas. Repeated terms should be handled consistently when they refer to the same component or function.
If several manuals concern the same product family, submitting them as part of the same project can help provide broader terminology context.
Translation of patient information
Patient-facing medical content has a different communicative purpose from documentation written exclusively for specialists.
The translation must remain faithful to the source while presenting the information clearly in the target language. Medical terminology should not be independently simplified or expanded in a way that changes the meaning of the original.
Patient information may include explanatory materials, instructions, information sheets and other documents intended to communicate healthcare-related information directly to individuals.
Translation of informed consent documents
Informed consent documentation can contain both medical terminology and information concerning procedures, participation, potential outcomes or other important considerations.
Because the document may be intended for non-specialist readers, clarity is particularly important. At the same time, the translation must not independently interpret, omit or add to the source content.
Related study or clinical documentation can be supplied when it provides useful context for terminology appearing in the consent material.
Translation of laboratory reports
Laboratory reports can contain test names, measurements, abbreviations, reference information and specialist medical terminology.
Numerical information and units require particular attention because even small transcription errors can materially change the information presented in the document.
The role of the translation is to reproduce the report in another language. We do not independently interpret laboratory values or provide medical conclusions concerning the results.
Translation of diagnostic documentation
Diagnostic documentation may relate to laboratory medicine, imaging, pathology or other areas of medical investigation.
These documents often contain highly specialised terminology and may use abbreviations specific to a particular discipline or institution. Context is therefore important when determining the appropriate target-language terminology.
Where the document forms part of a broader medical record, related documentation can be provided to support a consistent translation.
Translation of hospital and clinic documents
Hospitals and clinics produce a wide variety of documents for both healthcare professionals and patients.
These can include reports, discharge documentation, instructions, correspondence, certificates and other records. Different documents may require different levels of medical specialisation even when they relate to the same patient or procedure.
When several hospital documents belong to the same case, translating them as a coordinated set can help maintain consistent terminology and personal information.
Translation of discharge documents
Discharge documentation may summarise examinations, treatment, medication and recommendations contained in the original medical record.
Such documents can include dense medical terminology together with dates, quantities and other precise factual information. The translation needs to reproduce this information accurately without adding an independent interpretation.
If the discharge document refers to earlier reports or related records that are also being translated, providing the complete set can offer additional context.
Translation of medical certificates
Medical certificates may be required for administrative, professional, insurance-related or personal purposes.
The documents can range from short statements to more detailed descriptions containing specialist terminology. Names, dates and other factual details should be reproduced carefully.
If the translated certificate will be submitted to an authority or institution, the recipient may have requirements concerning the form of the translation. These should be confirmed separately with the receiving organisation.
Translation for healthcare organisations
Healthcare organisations may require translations for clinical, administrative, informational or international purposes.
Projects can range from a single document to substantial collections of related material in several languages. For larger projects, terminology consistency becomes increasingly important because the same medical concepts may occur across multiple documents.
Providing relevant reference material at the beginning of a project can help establish the context and terminology used by the organisation.
Medical translations for universities and research
Universities and research organisations work with specialist medical and scientific documentation across international research environments.
Documents may contain terminology associated with clinical research, medicine, healthcare or related scientific disciplines. The level of specialisation can vary significantly between projects.
Professional translation allows these materials to be communicated in another language while retaining the terminology, structure and meaning of the original.
Medical translations for private individuals
Private individuals may need medical documents translated when receiving treatment abroad, moving between countries or submitting documentation to an institution.
Typical materials can include medical reports, certificates, laboratory documentation and other healthcare records. These documents frequently contain sensitive personal information as well as specialist terminology.
We translate the information contained in the documents but do not provide medical advice, diagnosis or interpretation of the underlying medical information.
Specialist terminology in medical translation
Terminology is one of the central challenges in medical translation.
The same document may contain anatomical terms, diseases, procedures, medicines, equipment and abbreviations. Individual terms also need to be interpreted according to context rather than translated in isolation.
When customers have established terminology, glossaries or relevant reference documents, these can be supplied with the project. This is particularly useful for organisations managing recurring or multilingual medical documentation.
Consistency across large medical documents
Long medical documents often contain terminology that appears repeatedly across many pages.
Consistency matters because unnecessary variations can make a document harder to follow and may obscure relationships between different sections. This becomes even more important when a project consists of several related documents.
Submitting related files together allows the material to be considered as a connected documentation set rather than as unrelated individual files.
Multilingual medical translation projects
A medical document may need to be translated into several languages for international use.
Multilingual projects require coordination not only at the level of individual translations but also across the document set. Product terminology, medical concepts and recurring wording may need to remain consistent between related materials.
Our coverage of more than 60 languages allows us to support both individual translations and larger multilingual medical translation requirements.
Medical terminology supplied by the customer
Some organisations maintain their own approved terminology for products, medical concepts or company-specific wording.
Where such terminology exists, it can be supplied as reference material for the translation project. Previous approved documents can also be useful when they contain terminology that should remain consistent.
Providing this information at the beginning of a project can be particularly valuable for recurring documentation and large multilingual projects.
Translation of medical documents for official use
Medical documents may sometimes be submitted to authorities, universities, insurers or other institutions.
In these cases, professional medical translation and formal document requirements should be considered separately. The fact that a document contains medical information does not by itself determine whether a certified, sworn or otherwise formalised translation is required.
The receiving institution should confirm any specific formal requirements applicable to the translated document.
Medical translation and certified translation are different requirements
A specialist medical translation concerns the accurate translation of medical content. A certified or sworn translation concerns formal requirements that may apply to the use of a document.
A project can involve one of these requirements or both. For example, a specialist medical report may require strong medical terminology knowledge while also being intended for submission to an institution with specific translation requirements.
If the document will be used officially, let us know where it will be submitted and provide any instructions received from the recipient.
Translation does not constitute medical advice
Our role is to translate the information contained in the source document.
We do not diagnose medical conditions, assess treatment, interpret test results or provide recommendations concerning the medical information in a document. We also do not independently change the source text because a statement appears unusual or requires medical evaluation.
The translation should accurately communicate the information provided by the source document while preserving its meaning and context.
ISO/IEC 27001-certified information security
Medical documentation frequently contains sensitive personal and health-related information. Pharmaceutical and medical device documentation may also contain confidential commercial or technical information.
We are ISO/IEC 27001-certified for information security. This provides an information-security management framework for handling information within the organisation.
Information security is therefore an integral consideration alongside linguistic quality when working with confidential medical documentation.
Confidential medical document translation
Confidentiality is relevant across virtually every area of medical translation.
A private medical report may contain personal clinical information, while corporate documentation can contain sensitive information about products, research or business activities. Different documents therefore present different confidentiality considerations.
Our ISO/IEC 27001 certification complements our ISO 17100 certification by addressing information security alongside professional translation processes.
Clear and complete source documents
The quality of the source material can affect the translation process.
Digital documents are generally straightforward to evaluate, while scanned medical records may contain handwriting, stamps, small text or sections with reduced legibility. When information cannot be read reliably, it should not simply be guessed.
We therefore recommend providing the clearest and most complete version of the document available.
Medical documents in PDF format
Medical reports, laboratory results, certificates and other healthcare documents are frequently supplied as PDFs.
Both digitally generated PDFs and legible scanned documents can be submitted for evaluation. If a PDF contains multiple documents or pages that do not require translation, you can indicate which sections should be included.
For large projects containing several PDF files, the documents can be submitted together so that the overall scope can be assessed.
How much does specialist medical translation cost?
The cost of medical translation depends on factors such as language combination, volume, subject matter, document complexity and project requirements.
A short medical certificate and an extensive medical device manual have very different characteristics. Similarly, a single-language medical report differs from a multilingual documentation project involving numerous files.
The most effective way to receive an accurate quotation is to provide the documents that need to be translated together with the required target language or languages.
Request a quote for specialist medical translation
Send us the medical documents you need translated and specify the required target language or languages. If the material belongs to a particular medical specialty or forms part of a larger documentation set, you can provide that information together with relevant reference documents.
For official documents, also let us know where the translation will be submitted and provide any requirements communicated by the receiving institution.
We are certified according to ISO 17100 for professional translation services and ISO/IEC 27001 for information security. Upload your documents through our translation portal to request a quote, or contact us by email. It takes approximately 60 seconds to request a quote online.
Frequently asked questions about specialist medical translation
Do you provide specialist medical translation services?
Yes. We translate medical and healthcare-related documents for companies, universities, authorities and private individuals. The translator can be selected according to the language combination and relevant subject area.
Are your translation services ISO 17100-certified?
Yes. We are certified according to ISO 17100 for professional translation services.
Are you ISO/IEC 27001-certified?
Yes. We are certified according to ISO/IEC 27001 for information security, which is particularly relevant when handling confidential medical documentation.
How many languages do you cover for medical translation?
We provide professional translation services in more than 60 languages, including multilingual medical translation projects.
Do you use specialist medical translators?
We work with a network of more than 5,500 specialist translators and can select professionals according to the language combination and subject area required for a project.
Can you translate medical reports?
Yes. We translate medical reports containing specialist terminology, examination information, treatment descriptions and other medical content.
Can you translate medical records?
Yes. Medical records and related healthcare documentation can be translated individually or as part of a larger collection of documents.
Do you translate clinical documentation?
Yes. We translate specialist clinical documentation for professional and institutional contexts.
Do you translate clinical study documents?
Yes. Clinical research documentation can be translated as individual documents or as part of larger multilingual projects.
Do you provide pharmaceutical translations?
Yes. We translate pharmaceutical and related medical documentation containing specialist scientific and medical terminology.
Can you translate medical device documentation?
Yes. We translate medical device documentation that combines medical, technical and product-specific terminology.
Do you translate medical device IFUs?
Yes. Instructions for use can be translated with attention to terminology, recurring instructions, warnings and other information contained in the source document.
Can you translate medical device manuals?
Yes. We translate manuals and other technical documentation for medical devices.
Do you translate patient information?
Yes. Patient-facing documentation can be translated while preserving the meaning and level of information contained in the source text.
Can you translate informed consent documents?
Yes. We translate informed consent and related documentation containing medical and procedural information.
Do you translate laboratory reports?
Yes. Laboratory documentation can be translated with careful treatment of terminology, measurements and other factual information. We do not independently interpret the results.
Do you translate hospital documents?
Yes. Reports, discharge documents, certificates and other documentation issued by hospitals and clinics can be translated.
Can private individuals order medical translations?
Yes. We translate medical reports, certificates and other healthcare documentation for private individuals as well as organisations.
Can I provide my own medical terminology?
Yes. Customer-provided glossaries, approved terminology and relevant reference documents can be supplied with the project.
Can you translate several related medical documents together?
Yes. Related documents can be submitted as one project, which can be particularly useful for maintaining terminology consistency.
Can you manage multilingual medical translation projects?
Yes. We provide translations in more than 60 languages and can work with medical documentation intended for multiple language markets.
Is an ISO 17100 translation automatically a certified or sworn translation?
No. ISO 17100 concerns professional translation services and processes. Certified, sworn or official translation requirements depend on the country, document and receiving institution.
Do you provide medical advice when translating medical documents?
No. We translate the information contained in the source documents but do not provide diagnoses, treatment recommendations or independent medical interpretations.
Can you translate scanned medical documents?
Yes, provided the content is sufficiently legible. We recommend supplying the clearest and most complete version available.
Can I send medical documents as PDF files?
Yes. Medical documents can be submitted in PDF format for evaluation and translation.
How is confidential medical information handled?
We are ISO/IEC 27001-certified for information security, and documents are handled with a high degree of security and confidentiality.
How much does medical translation cost?
The price depends on the language combination, volume, medical subject area, complexity and project requirements. Providing the documents allows the project to be evaluated accurately.
How can I request a quote?
Upload your documents through our translation portal and specify the required language or languages. You can also contact us by email. It takes approximately 60 seconds to request a quote online.
