Can machine translation be a useful tool in the life science industry?

Machine translation (MT) has without any doubt already demonstrated its potential to revolutionize the translation sector, making it possible to translate large volumes of text in a short amount of time. This is particularly useful for businesses that need to translate a lot of content quickly.

A question that has been arising more often is whether MT can be applied in more regulated industries, such as the legal and life science sectors.

These industries were never early adopters due to the number of regulations and restrictions in place, but modernization of current clinical trials is proving to be an exciting time for many forward-thinking life sciences organizations.

We believe there are many cases in the medical industry where using MT can add value. Recent research from an industry consultant predicts a dramatic increase in volume and velocity of content due to new medical device regulations (MDR). Manufacturers will need not only to ensure high quality translations in a language understandable to the public, but also to ensure that these translations are updated and quickly brought to the market. A huge boost in content is being predicted for post-market surveillance content under the new MDR.

This is where MT can play an important role, helping to streamline this process by quickly and accurately translating these documents into multiple languages, and enabling manufacturers to submit their applications to regulatory authorities in a timely and cost-effective manner.

We can leverage MT in medical translations to process large volumes of content and update product labeling to meet MDR requirements. The technology can be also very useful for processing clinical trial documents, such as patient informed consent forms.

In addition, MT can facilitate communication between regulatory authorities and manufacturers during the approval process and help overcome language barriers, ensuring that all parties involved have a clear understanding of the regulatory requirements and the information being provided.

However, it is important to note that MT is not a perfect solution. It should therefore be used in conjunction with human post-editing.

Despite its limitations, MT has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the regulatory process for medical devices. As technology continues to advance, it is likely that MT will play an increasingly important role in the life science industry, particularly in the MDR context.