Why do pharmaceutical companies need language service providers?

The demand for quality language services within the pharmaceutical sector is cascading. In fact, the CSA reports that both medicine manufacturing and pharmaceutical translation were worth a whopping $75.8 million back in 2009.

While the industry may be booming, there’s a high price to pay for DIY translations and failure to hire a knowledgeable and reliable Language Service Provider. Below, we look at the consequences.

There’s a Price to Pay for Not Hiring a Reputable LSP

A study conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians analysed translator errors and found that these errors had clinical consequences. The study found that the error rate seemed to be somewhat lower for professional translators than for those who translated on an ad hoc basis.

This is because professional translators, and indeed LSPs, understand the importance of the healthcare sector. Further, they appreciate the balance, which can be rather delicate, and are trained to know when to step forward and when to be transparent.

Long-term, the costs of professional Language Service Providers are likely to be somewhat less than lawsuits or delayed care that could realistically occur as a result of mistreatment, misdiagnosis, and misinterpretation – all of which come with language barriers.

It’s all about easing stress

In particular, a major reason the pharmaceutical industry needs quality LSPs is to ease patient stress. A trip to a medical center is scary at the best of times, and more so if you don’t speak the same language as the medical staff. If you don’t speak the language, the entire ordeal is intimidating, which is why it is crucial for patients to converse with medical professionals, and read informative content, in a language they are comfortable with.

What about clinical trials?

Within this industry, almost half of all clinical trials take place outside of the United States, and that makes accurate clinical trial translations a necessity. Pharmaceutical companies need to be able to successfully recruit subjects for their trials which necessitates a multimedia campaign that reflects a genuine understanding of the local language and attitude towards medicine and science. Accurate brand messaging that properly speaks to volunteers is a must.

Getting information to patients and doctors

It’s one thing to release a new medicine, and it is another to ensure it reaches the patients it is intended for. It is vital to stage a successful rollout in each country through a marketing strategy that ensures local doctors know about the medication and its availability to patients.

In today’s world of the Internet, a website is by far the best way to get the word out globally about a new medicine, not to mention as a platform for ongoing support. But, less than a third of internet users around the world speak English. If a pharmaceutical company only offers information in English, they may be missing out on important information, and benefits from a drug they may well need.

The secret to success

A solid, reputable LSP can provide a huge competitive advantage to pharmaceutical companies that wish to launch new medication around the world. An LSP will help sidestep miscommunications and save the company time and money.

If you’re looking to launch a new medication, make sure it reaches the people for whom it is intended.

About Wordminds

Wordminds is a close-knit team of language experts – professional translators, project managers, localisation engineers and business visionaries who work closely with global clients, helping them connect with their international audience. Wordminds works with over 3,000 language specialists and subject-matter experts to enable companies to overcome cultural and language barriers, helping them build trust and create long-lasting business and human relationships. Fully certified under ISO 9001 and ISO 17100, the company believes in continuous improvement and so stands at the forefront of new language-technology implementation, smart collaboration and excellent customer service. Find out more about Wordminds.