I came to medical translation as a language specialist, not a medical one. Thus, when I translate I prefer focusing on the rationale behind word choices in both the source and target language, French and English. In that context, I have learned about many kinds of antibodies and how to best render them English.

Antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins, are protective proteins produced by the immune system in response to the presence of foreign substances called antigens. They are highly specific and work to identify and neutralize antigens, such as bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, by binding to them. This process marks the antigens for destruction by other immune cells or activates other immune responses to eliminate them from the body. Antibodies play a crucial role in the body's defense against infections and are essential for the functioning of the immune system.

They often follow this pattern: “anticorps anti-XXX” with XXX being the antigen or protein that is targeted by the anticorps (antibody). They can also be shortened to simply “anti-XXX.” For instance, “anticorps anti-SARS-CoV-2" or “anti-SARS-CoV-2” refers to an antibody that recognizes and binds to antigens associated with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19. 

As a linguist, I wondered, “Is the repetition of anti- necessary? Can the term be abbreviated as simply (anti-XXX) in English as in French?”

I learned that the answers are yes and yes!
Antibodies can be rendered in many ways in English that are as short as one hyphenated word or as long as a phrase consisting of several words. I will use anti-PLA2R for this example:
Anti-PLA2R antibodies target the PLA2R (phospolipase A2 receptor) protein, a protein found on the surface of kidney cells. The presence of PLA2R antibodies in the bloodstream is associated with certain kidney diseases, particularly membranous nephropathy (MN), which is an autoimmune disorder characterized by inflammation and damage to the glomeruli. These antibodies bind to the PLA2R protein, leading to the formation of immune complexes and subsequent kidney damage. The detection of anti-PLA2R in blood or kidney tissue is important for diagnosing and monitoring membranous nephropathy and guiding treatment decisions.

In this paragraph, you can see that the name is rendered 4 different ways:

1. Antibodies targeting the PLA2R protein
2. PLA2R antibodies
3. anti-PLA2R antibodies
4. anti-PLA2R

My tip would be to choose from those 4 options based on the context.

The longer, more explanatory one (1) will be used when the French source expands the term in the same manner. This is usually in a sentence at the beginning of a paragraph that tells the reader about the significance of the antibody.

​Option 2 is the least clear as it lacks the anti- prefix, so I would recommend only using it in rare instances when the source follows the same pattern and drops the prefix, “anticorps PLA2R.”

For options 3 and 4, I would use the shorter one when space is an issue, for example on a list of laboratory tests, and the longer one when clarity is the priority.
I hope this post was interesting to you and that you learned something from it. I know it helped me to put words to my translation choices, so that I can explain them to clients if need be in the future.

Medical translators can expect to translate plenty of documents for laboratories over their career. For me, they were among the first documents I ever translated and used to take a substantial amount of time to finish even though they mainly involved short phrases. I would get frustrated because they didn't seem worth my hourly rate.

​Years later and with lots of practice, I now know the majority of laboratory tests by heart, but not all. So, I still need reliable materials to complete certain jobs. Read on to discover some resources that can help translators with common and less common tests.

Laboratory tests check a sample of blood, urine, tissue, or other bodily substance in order to diagnose or monitor a disorder or adjust treatment, among other things. Translators help laboratories create bilingual copies of their lab tests to make them more accessible. They also translate patient-specific test results.

​For example, if a patient is in France but from the USA, they may need those test results translated to send back to their PCP in the States. If a patient is having the tests done as part of clinical trial, the sponsor may send the tests for translation in order to share them with a wider medical audience and, ultimately, get approval for the treatment/indication being tested.

The ones I see regularly involve cell counts, clotting, and drug concentrations. Hormone levels are commonly tested as well. These tests are a normal part of routine blood work and urinalysis. Patients will go to a hospital lab after fasting 8-12 hours and the lab tech will take a blood and urine sample. Then, the doctor will read the results to see if anything looks abnormal.

​These tests are performed for adults of all ages and children and even newborns. What’s considered normal will depend on age, gender, and sometimes ethnicity. The laboratory’s catalogue of tests will include reference ranges for comparison.

Below are 4 resources to help you find test names in English. With French to English translation, I find it easy to identify most test names in English. If I’m unsure about it, I’ll compare the reference ranges and units of measurement for the tests in the two languages and that is enough evidence for me to draw a conclusion.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article. Please follow me on LinkedIn for future blog posts.

1. The first is for the Mayo Clinic Laboratories general test catalogue. You can search by test name or category. If you’re new to translating laboratory tests, this is a great starting point: https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog
2. This one is for allergen tests. It’s the Thermo Fisher Scientific allergen encyclopedia. Recently, I translated my first set of allergen tests and found this resource to be helpful. You can search by name or test code (which seems to be universal). Try it here: https://www.thermofisher.com/phadia/us/en/resources/allergen-encyclopedia.html
3. In the same job as the allergen tests, I also had to translate amino acid concentration tests. The results can point to deficiencies and genetic disorders. For tests on CSF (cerebrospinal fluid), this is a great resource: https://neurology.testcatalog.org/show/AACSF
4. Finally, to test for amino acids in the urine, this is a great resource: https://www.mayocliniclabs.com/test-catalog/overview/60475

In part 2 of my blog series sharing new-to-me vocabulary in French and English, I chose two words that I find in writing more often than in spoken communication. I suppose you could use these in conversation, but there are less formal options that are going come to mind quicker. Maybe you've seen them before in French media or in English literature. Read on to find out.

French
dévisager - I found this one in a fiction book. In fact, I see this a lot in fiction. It is often used to describe a scene when someone is being stared at disapprovingly or in wonder or even distrustfully, for whatever action they’ve just done.

Definition from LINTERNAUTE: 
1. Regarder quelqu'un longuement, avec insistance. Synonyme : examiner, regarder, fixer

​Translation:
​to stare at, to scrutinize, a transitive verb

Example in a sentence:
J’ai fait basculer tous les plats remplis et mon père me dévisageait avec réprobation./I knocked over all the full dishes, and my dad stared at me with disapproval.

English:
affable

Definition:
being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
characterized by ease and friendliness

Translation:
​aimable, sympathique, amical

Example in a sentence:
Le responsable est très amical, en saluant toujours ses employés avec un sourire./The manager is very affable, always greeting employees with a big smile.

As a bilingual professional, it is important to actively use both languages in order to maintain proficiency. To do so, you can choose to practice these 4 language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Depending on your profession and where you live, there will be an ever-shifting imbalance between these skills and that’s OK! What matters is that you keep practicing to the best of your abilities.

Thus, I’m writing this series:
1) for myself, to maintain my own skills in French and English, and
2) for you, to read and thereby improve your own proficiency.

I invite you join me on a weekly exploration of new vocabulary when I will share one French and one English vocabulary word I learned that week. This will hold me accountable for reading in French (my second language) and for improving my grasp of my native language (which is surprisingly easy to neglect in adulthood). In addition, I hope it motivates you to continue your bilingual journey.

This week’s words are capitulate and décupler.

Capitulate - I encountered this verb while listening to a podcast on Benito Mussolini Here is the Britannica definition:
​1 : to stop fighting an enemy or opponent : to admit that an enemy or opponent has won : surrender
2 : to stop trying to fight or resist something : to agree to do or accept something that you have been resisting or opposing

In French, it translates literally to capituler. Some synonyms are abandonner, céder, abdiquer.

French/English example: En se rendant compte que l’échec était inévitable, le général a capitulé à l’ennemi./Realizing defeat was inevitable, the general capitulated to the enemy.

Décupler - this is the verb form, but I ran into this word as an adjective - décuplé. According to Larousse, the verb as a transitive means “2. Augmenter considérablement quelque chose;” and as an intransitive verb, it means “Devenir plus important, s'accroître considérablement.”

The translation in English is to multiply, compound.

​French/English example: Le magicien a jeté un sort qui a décuplé ses pouvoirs par dix./The magician cast a spell that multiplied his powers tenfold.

So, if you’re bilingual in French and English and want to improve your vocabulary and even your ability to express yourself, meet me every week and I’ll introduce you to two new words. All you have to do is put away any distractions for 5 minutes and read my post, then apply the words during the week.

​I look forward to taking this journey with you.

Ensuring the safety of pharmaceutical products is an ongoing commitment. Even the safety of well-known medicines, like acetaminophen, must be continuously monitored. That monitoring process is called pharmacovigilance and, of course, takes place in every language imaginable.
 
I’d like to explain why translation has an essential role in that process. The WHO offers a very precise definition that can help us better understand the concept. “Pharmacovigilance is the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other medicine/vaccine-related problem.” (https://www.who.int/teams/regulation-prequalification/regulation-and-safety/pharmacovigilance)
 
After a drug is made available to the general public, it embarks on a journey outside of the controlled environments of clinical trials. In the real-world setting, a diverse array of patients, each with unique health profiles, are exposed to the medication. This transition from controlled studies to widespread use introduces the potential for uncovering nuances in the drug's safety profile that may not have been apparent during the initial testing phases. That’s where pharmacovigilance comes in. 
 
Regulatory bodies, such as the FDA and EMA establish reporting obligations for pharmaceutical companies to ensure they respect pharmacovigilance guidelines. These agencies require them to submit periodic safety reports detailing any new information about the safety profile of their marketed drugs. These reports undergo rigorous scrutiny, contributing to a collaborative effort to maintain the highest standards of drug safety.
 
Now, this is where translation comes in!

I’ll illustrate this with an example. Imagine a scenario where a 6-year-old French patient experiences an unexpected reaction to acetaminophen manufactured by the ABC Pharmaceutical Company. The patient’s physician prepares an adverse event report in French to be sent to ABC. Next, the report and any associated documentation needs to be accurately translated into English and other languages to ensure that regulatory agencies, other manufacturers, and researchers worldwide can comprehend the details of the incident. This ensures that the global pharmacovigilance community can analyze and understand the specifics of the adverse reaction, contributing to the identification of potential risks associated with acetaminophen.
 
The process of pharmacovigilance post-market is dynamic and ongoing. Continuous evaluation of safety data prompts regulatory decisions, such as label updates, contraindications, or, in extreme cases, withdrawal of a drug from the market. These decisions are made with the paramount goal of safeguarding public health while ensuring that effective therapeutic options remain available. Throughout that process, all of the documentation is translated to and from a variety of languages. As you can see, translation and pharmacovigilance have an essential relationship, allowing crucial information to traverse borders seamlessly and facilitating a collaborative effort to enhance drug safety on an international scale.

If you enjoyed learning about the role of translation in this part of pharmacology, please also read my post about translation and early access programs in French healthcare, another important relationship. Or if you have any question, please contact me using this email link or using the button at the bottom of the page.

​In the complex realm of healthcare, language nuances carry a lot of weight, impacting physicians’ choice of treatment, testing, and even what diagnoses they make. Thus, when translating medical documents, it is essential to meticulously research terminology in order to correctly render these nuances in the target language. In this post, I’d like to illustrate this matter using the example of lung diseases, specifically the French term pneumopathie.
 
I came to the medical translation industry with a background in language, not medicine, so there was a steep learning curve as I collected hundreds (maybe thousands) of medical terms over the years. I observed that, in many cases, the French language had one word that translated into several different words in English. Therefore, I couldn’t always rely on word-for-word translation. The term pneumopathie is a prime example. It doesn’t always translate as lung or pulmonary disease. Sometimes it means pneumonia or pneumonitis. I’ve illustrated this below. You'll see French terms with pneumopathie on the right and their English translation on the left.

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Pneumopathie d'hypersensibilité

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Broncho-pneumopathie chronique obstructive

Infectious pneumonia: Pneumopathie infectieuse

Diffuse interstitial lung disease: Pneumopathie infiltrative diffuse

Pneumococcal pneumonia: Pneumopathie à pneumocoque

Community-acquired pneumonia: Pneumonie communautaire

It's all in the definition. You can scour the internet, dictionaries, and medical journals and come up with specific definitions. For the sake of brevity, here is my summary:
 
French:
Pneumopathie tends to have a broad sense and refers to various lung diseases or pathologies. It's important to note that context plays a large role in how the term is used.
 
English:
Pneumonia: an inflammatory lung infection that primarily affects the tiny air sacs, known as alveoli. It can be caused by various infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites.
Lung (Pulmonary) Disease: a broad term that encompasses a variety of conditions affecting the lungs, including infections, chronic conditions, and structural abnormalities.
Pneumonitis: an inflammation of lung tissue. It can be caused by various factors, including infections, exposure to irritants (such as chemicals or dust), and certain medications.
 
As you can see, each one has a different meaning. Thus, it is important to thoroughly research this one French word in its full context, as it can have multiple meanings, each of which translates differently in English.

In the realm of medical science, accurate communication is paramount, especially when it comes to translating lab results. While core principles are universal, the terminology and abbreviations in two different languages vary, and French and English are no exception. An oversight in these translations could result in confusion or, more critically, a misdiagnosis. Therefore, translators must possess not only linguistic proficiency but also a deep understanding of medical terminology in both languages.
 
​Below, I will discuss 4 details that translators must watch out for when translating these documents. When I first started translating 8 years ago, I’m sure I missed some of these. However, experience has taught me to review these details every time I get a new project with lab results. If you'd like to know more about my services, please visit my Services Menu.

​1. Watch out for UI. UI in French means unité internationale and translates literally to international unit (see https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/fiche-gdt/fiche/26518512/unites-internationales). However, it’s easy to overlook these two letters as they’re usually found in the column with other unit abbreviations that do not require translation, like liters (L) and grams (g). It is also sometimes written as mUI and must be translated as mIU (milli-international unit, or one-thousandth of an international unit).

​3. Do NOT convert units of measurement, for example kg to lbs, milliliters to ounces, unless the client asks you to do this. Leaving the results in the original units produces an accurate translation. If the person reading the document needs to know the patient’s weight in pounds, for example, they can do the conversion themselves.

​4. Convert commas to decimals. This detail is the most obvious one, as most translators and bilinguals are aware of it, but it’s worth emphasizing. In French, decimals are written with a comma and thousands with a space or period, whereas in English, it’s the opposite. Thus, it is crucial that numbers in the test results be re-written in the target document OR that a note is included stating something along these lines, “spaces represent commas and commas represent decimal points.” Discuss the best option with your client. Lastly, don’t forget to do this for the common measurement “mL/min/1,73 m2.”

​As you can tell, translating lab results from French to English may appear easy on the surface but is, in reality, a delicate process that requires a keen eye for detail. Healthcare professionals, researchers, and translators alike must collaborate seamlessly to ensure that the precision of the original data is retained. By prioritizing accuracy in units and terminology, translators uphold the integrity of medical information, fostering effective communication and ultimately contributing to improved patient care on a global scale.

Accurate translation of patient medical records for clinical trials is crucial for ensuring the reliability of research. Inaccuracies and erroneous translations can compromise patient safety and the validity of study outcomes. Precision in translation allows for a consistent understanding across languages, supporting informed decision-making by researchers and healthcare professionals while upholding ethical standards.
 
Today, I’d like to discuss the translation of a French term that I regularly see in patient medical records that is commonly MIStranslated - syndrome inflammatoire biologique (SIB). I’ve seen the literal/word-for-word translation (biological inflammation syndrome and biological inflammatory syndrome) in many translations and machine translation memories. Heck, I even used it when I was a new translator because I couldn’t find a definition or obvious equivalent! However, that translation 1) is not a medical term in English, and 2) does not express what the French term actually means. Thus, its mistranslation can stand in the way of reliable research and negatively impact study outcomes.

What laboratory evidence?
It is well known in the medical field that certain markers in the blood show when inflammation is present. Some examples are CRP, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin. When a patient presents certain symptoms, a doctor will take a blood sample and run laboratory tests on it to help diagnose the patient’s illness. When markers like I just mentioned are elevated, it is a sign of inflammation and that evidence can be used to rule out or support various diagnoses.
 
I found a French definition of SIB on the Tours University website: “Un syndrome inflammatoire biologique est défini par l’élévation d’au moins 2 protéines de l’inflammation, ou de la vitesse de sédimentation et d’une protéine de l’inflammation” - i.e. elevation of at least two inflammatory proteins OR elevation of erythrocyte sedimentation rate and one inflammatory protein. (I also find a definition here that re-iterates this: https://www.remede.org/librairie-medicale/pdf/e9782340004993.pdf).

​How should it be translated then?
The closest, but still inaccurate, English equivalent is systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). However, it includes different criteria. A 1999 journal article states, “As defined by the American College of Chest Physicians/Society of Critical Care Medicine consensus conference in 1992, SIRS is diagnosed if 2 or more of the following criteria are met: (1) temperature greater than 38°C or less than 36°C; (2) heart rate greater than 90 beats per minute; (3) respiratory rate greater than 20/min or a PaCO2 less than 32 mm Hg; or (4) white blood cell count greater than 12.0 × 109/L or less than 4.0 × 109/L or the presence of more than 10 immature bands.” There is no mention of inflammatory markers, just white blood cells. Hence, this would be a misleading translation as it would suggest to the healthcare professional that the patient met these criteria, when that is not necessarily true.
 
Thus, when I translate this term, I prefer using “laboratory evidence of inflammation” or “elevated inflammatory markers.” Both phrases express that inflammation is seen on the labs, not necessarily on physical examination. Now, any healthcare professional who reads that phrase will have a more accurate understanding of the patient’s medical situation.

Two key points
This example of SIB demonstrates two key points about translation work:

1. The accurate translation of French medical terms into English is crucial;
2. Medical terms must be researched before they are translated literally since the literal translation is not always the correct one.

Translators must grasp both of these points in order to provide their clients with high-quality work. Consequently, healthcare professionals need to work with translators who demonstrate a deep understanding of medical terms as well as the source and target language.
 
If you need accurate French to English translations, especially for medical documents, please visit my LinkedIn profile below or contact me by clicking on the email icon at the bottom of the page. You can also use my contact page.

​Machine translation (MT) can both fuel and add twists and turns to the pharmaceutical translation process. As the global market for pharmaceuticals continues to expand, so does the need for seamless translation of crucial documents. It’s easy to apply machine translation to such documents, but, depending on the contents, the MT output may require in-depth or light review by a human translator. Lighter review contributes to the speediness of the process, while in-depth review can slow it down. The CRO or client should be aware of this and keep their expectations in check. They must be prepared to adjust the timeline of their project if needed.

​Before I discuss examples below, I’d like to speak more generally about MT. It is an undeniably powerful tool that has revolutionized communication, broken down certain language barriers, and enabled instant translation across various languages. Its usefulness lies in its speed and accessibility, making it invaluable for quickly understanding the gist of a document, website, or conversation. 
 
However, its reliability is not absolute. The intricate nuances of human language, cultural context, and domain-specific terminology pose significant challenges for MT tools. Thus, all MT output must be reviewed by a human translator, especially if the translation needs to be accurate so the document can be used in data analysis, distributed to patients, presented in a legal setting, etc.
 
That being said, certain documents are easier to machine translate than others. In the pharmaceutical industry, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are fuel for MT tools and scientific research papers add twists and turns that MT overlooks.

​Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the backbone of any pharmaceutical operation. These documents demand precision, clarity, and accuracy. When SOPs are translated using MT, the output tends to be high quality, especially when the translation memory has been fed with multiple SOPs. These documents have a very structured format and standardized language. In other words, they have a repetitive nature, making them inherently compatible with MT algorithms. Thus, MT efficiently deciphers these procedural guidelines, ensuring that the essence of the document remains intact. At that point, the human translator has to lightly review it to check for missing words, punctuation changes, and similar easily corrected errors.

Now, let’s shift our focus to the intricate world of scientific research papers, where context and subtleties reign supreme and where there is rarely consistency between papers (apart from headings). Translating scientific research papers poses a considerable challenge for MT. These documents are laden with discipline-specific terminology, complex sentence structures, and nuanced interpretations. MT, while impressive, may miss these twists and turns and go off-track. It then fails to capture the depth of scientific knowledge embedded within these papers, leading to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.
 
Thus, in this case, the human translator must take the time to do an in-depth review of the MT output. It is critical that they understand the author’s objective and the source in general and that they are familiar with obscure terminology. Finally, they must have access to the source so they can see any tables and images and check for extra/missing information (SEE MY LAST POST). This kind of review can take more time and may result in this step taking longer than expected. The CRO or client must temper their expectations regarding time and recognize that it is worth it to have this thorough review done.

​As you can see, the compatibility of a pharmaceutical document with MT depends significantly on its structure, language complexity, and the nature of its content. While documents like SOPs find harmony in the realm of MT, scientific research papers with their intricate language demand more attention from professional human translators.
 
Professionals in the pharmaceutical field must recognize the strengths and limitations of MT. Utilize it wisely for documents like SOPs, where structure and clarity are paramount and expect to have a translator quickly review them. However, exercise caution and opt to apply more in-depth human expertise when dealing with the complexities of scientific research papers. By striking this balance, we can enhance global collaboration, foster innovation, and continue advancing the pharmaceutical industry with confidence and precision.

​When translating a scientific article, be it from scratch or machine translation post-editing, it’s important to establish a process that you can follow each time. This will make your time and project management more efficient and result in a high-quality end product. If you need tips to do so or if you just wonder what goes into the process, please continue reading.

First, I'd like to say that, in my opinion, it's important that you enjoy the work you're doing. Not just translation, but any hobbies, sports, other businesses you operate, etc. Therefore, I recommend that specialized translators pay attention to which specific document types bore the living hell out of them and which ones engage their attention, thus allowing them to enjoy the process.

As you can guess, scientific articles are the ones I enjoy the most (as opposed to hospital discharge reports, lab work, SAE reports, imaging reports, etc.). For the reasons below, I find myself quickly absorbed in the work and satisfied with the process from start to finish. Try to make a similar list, in your head or on paper, of what you enjoy about different documents, then you can seek more of that kind of work.

Reasons I enjoy scientific articles

1. I ALWAYS learn something new. It could be a rating system for a disease or even a disorder I’ve never heard of before.
2. Articles are presented in a format that flows, like a story. I can see where the “story” is going and what it’s building on. Thus, I can ensure that my translation flows smoothly, too.
3. I can find published works to support my translation of terms and concepts. For example, the mechanism of action of a drug is usually clearly explained in numerous resources online. (This also helps me explain my choices to clients.)

Every document type has its own challenges and unique features. You must understand these in order to develop an efficient translation process that results in a high-quality product.

For scientific articles, paying close attention to these 3 key features in the source file will help ensure that is the case.

​Scientific articles contain highly specialized terminology and concepts. These may not have direct equivalents in the target language (thus requiring an explanation instead of a brief term) or may not have a word-for-word translation. It's important to identify and understand these terms in the source text either before you start translating or as you go. Look for technical jargon, scientific notations, abbreviations, and acronyms. Research any terms that are unfamiliar or unique to the field to ensure accurate translation. Maintaining consistency in translating these terms throughout the document is also important. So, if you do this step as you go, be sure to go back regularly and check if you’re consistently using the same translation for the same phrase in the source language.

​Scientific articles rely on citations and references to support the research and establish credibility. Pay close attention to the source file's citations and references to see if any need to be translated. Check for proper formatting, citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago), and ensure that all cited sources are correctly linked to their corresponding references. You can also skim over the references before starting your translation (and after if you like) to search for overlapping terms from the article. As I specified in my list above, these references can be great support for maintaining the integrity of your translation.