Medical translation is vital for patient communication, international collaboration, research outcomes and more.
Until now, medical institutions have relied on the often slow-paced work of a handful of qualified medical translators. Today, AI translation offers faster, more scalable solutions.
Advanced machine translation (MT) systems can process vast amounts of data in seconds, making it possible to translate clinical trial results, patient documents and pharmaceutical guidelines more efficiently than ever before.
Of course, there are limits to the capabilities of AI. Left unchecked, AI can misinterpret subtle linguistic nuances, leading to potential inaccuracies or cultural insensitivities. This is why unguided AI translation is never advisable in the medical field.
However, with human oversight, AI enhances the speed and efficiency of medical translation without compromising accuracy.
Agencies like Wolfestone Group specialize in combining the efficiency of AI tools with the precision of experienced medical translators.
Below, our experts explain how life sciences companies are responsibly adopting AI medical translation to increase efficiency and improve patient care.
How AI-Enabled Medical Translation Works: A Balanced Approach
Achieving responsible and reliable AI translation in the medical field requires a careful balance between the efficiency of AI and the expertise of human oversight. This human-guided approach is referred to as Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE).
Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) integrates AI into medical translation workflows. In this process, AI-generated translations are reviewed and refined by trained professionals who ensure the final product meets the standards required in the medical field.
Here’s how MTPE typically works in a medical translation context:
- Initial AI Translation: The translation begins with advanced AI tools, such as generative AI translation models. These systems quickly process large volumes of text, generating a preliminary translation.
- Human Review and Refinement: A professional linguist with expertise in medical terminology reviews the AI-generated text. They correct inaccuracies and ensure the terminology is appropriate for the specific medical context.
- Contextual Adjustments: Medical content often includes specialized terms and phrases that require a deeper understanding of the source and target languages. Human linguists make adjustments, such as localizing the text, to ensure it is culturally relevant and patient-friendly.
- Quality Assurance: Before delivery, the text undergoes additional quality checks to verify its accuracy, consistency and compliance with any regulatory standards.
MTPE offers the best of both worlds to medical firms. It leverages AI to expedite the translation process, making it more cost-effective and scalable, while human linguists ensure the output maintains the high-quality standards necessary for medical translation.
The effectiveness of MTPE for medical translation isn’t theoretical. It’s delivering results in the real world, as the following case study suggests.
Case Study: AI Medical Translation in the Field
In a study conducted by Cactus Life Sciences, researchers assessed the performance of an AI-powered translation tool in translating Japanese scientific and clinical documents into English.
The research team used a commercially available AI translation tool to translate 23 Japanese-language documents, which included clinical study content, presentation slides and client comments.
After AI translation, bilingual experts reviewed and edited the output to ensure accuracy.
This two-phase process—AI translation followed by human review—was then compared to a traditional workflow that relied solely on human translation.
The study revealed a dramatic improvement in processing speed when using the AI-powered tool. Translation was completed more than 200 times faster than with pure human translation.
The time required for quality review and editing was also reduced by 67% compared to previous human-only projects.
Regarding quality, researchers concluded that the MTPE translations showed “no compromise on translation quality.”
This study was conducted in early 2022 using an AI tool that is considered outdated today. This suggests that modern AI translation software may exceed the results of the above study.
The Benefits of AI Translation for Healthcare
AI-powered translation tools are making the healthcare sector more efficient, interconnected and patient-focused.
Below are some of the benefits that AI translation is bringing to the healthcare industry today.
- Effective Patient Communication: Studies have shown that poor communication by healthcare professionals reduces the quality of patient care, sometimes resulting in life-threatening outcomes. AI translation improves patient access to accurate information about diagnoses, treatments and medication instructions in their native language.
- Faster Drug and Device Development: AI allows clinical trial data, regulatory submissions and research findings to be shared globally at unprecedented speeds. This shortens the time required to bring new drugs and medical devices to market.
- Improved International Collaboration: AI life sciences translation simplifies collaboration among global healthcare institutions and pharmaceutical companies. It supports medical innovation by facilitating the exchange of scientific knowledge and medical advancements.
- Cost-Effective Solutions for Global Reach: AI translation reduces the need for manual translation for high-volume projects. It offers a more affordable option for organizations aiming to expand their services globally. This makes it easier for healthcare providers to operate in multilingual regions.
- Scalability for Large-Scale Projects: AI translation can process vast amounts of data quickly, making it ideal for translating large-scale medical documents like clinical trial results or medical journals.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when discussing the benefits of AI translation for medicine.
By radically boosting the efficiency of global communication and collaboration, AI translation has the potential to spark significant positive change in global health.
The Time is Now to Implement AI Medical Translation
For life sciences companies, adopting AI translation is no longer optional—it’s essential for survival in an increasingly competitive market.
AI translation will improve the rate of medical innovation and communication. Companies that fail to adopt this technology, at least to some degree, will not manage to keep up.
With the growth of telemedicine, healthcare providers are relying more on real-time translation to bridge language gaps. Specialized medical AI models are also being developed to handle complex fields such as genomics, personalized medicine and rare disease research.
The future of medicine will require robust translation capabilities that companies must prepare for now.
At Wolfestone Group, we understand the complex needs of healthcare providers and life sciences firms. With nearly two decades of experience, we have helped life sciences companies around the globe communicate more effectively with patients and partners while maintaining compliance with regulatory standards.
As a specialist in medical translation, we combine state-of-the-art AI tools with the expertise of certified medical translators to deliver accurate, efficient and cost-effective MTPE solutions.
By partnering with Wolfestone Group, you gain access to a global network of language experts and the latest technology tailored to the demands of the medical sector.
Let us help you streamline your ability to communicate, innovate and save lives worldwide.
Contact Wolfestone Group now to schedule a free consultation or get a free quote. Additionally, feel free to review our medical translation case study.
