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Accuracy and Precision in Medical Translation

In metrology, both accuracy and precision reflect how close a measurement is to a real or reference value, but these two terms do not mean the same in practice. Accuracy refers to how closely a measured value aligns to a known or accepted value. Precision refers to the consistency of repeated measurements; that is, how reproducible measurements are, even if they deviate from the accepted value. Measurements that are both accurate and precise are reliable and consistent.

The bull’s eye analogy is the usual visual representation of what accuracy and precision mean: an arrow hitting close to the innermost ring represents accuracy, while a tight cluster of arrows, even if off-centred, indicates precision.

Accuracy and precision are fundamental concepts each serving distinct purposes in the fields of clinical research, drug engineering and manufacturing, medicine and, of course, medical translation.

In clinical research, the validity of scientific experiments largely depends on the accuracy and precision of the data collected. An experiment with precise data allows for reliable repetition and comparison, while accurate data ensures that the findings truly reflect reality.1

Achieving accuracy in measurements during clinical trials involves the rigorous use of standards and procedures that compare outcomes to established known values. High precision in measurements means little variability between successive results.1

In drug engineering and manufacturing, misunderstanding of the distinction between accuracy and precision may lead to specification errors, quality failures and costly reworks.2

Accuracy describes how close a manufactured feature comes to a target value, whereas precision describes the repeatability or consistency of measurements or processes. The distinction becomes critical in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in manufacturing, quality control, and lab testing.2

In healthcare and biomedical applications, accuracy and precision in measurement results directly influence clinical decisions such as diagnosis, treatment and prevention.3

In medical practice, accuracy refers to how close a health measurement or diagnosis is to the true value, and precision is the reproducibility of those repeated results. Both accuracy and precision are the foundational pillars of patient safety, as they determine whether a physician makes an accurate diagnosis or prescribes the correct medication.3

ACCURACY AND PRECISION IN MEDICAL TRANSLATION

What is accuracy in medical translation?

Accuracy in medical translation is unequivocally hitting the bull’s eye. It means faithfully conveying the original meaning without content and purpose distortion, omissions and additions due to lack of subject matter knowledge.

If medical translators have domain knowledge aiding in-depth understanding of the source text, they will undoubtedly reproduce source meaning (content and form) in a faithful, exact and reliable manner regardless of the complexity of the source text.

What is precision in medical translation?

Precision in medical translation refers to the language and terminology used to consistently produce accurate translations that suit the needs of different audiences. Medical translators offering precise translations are able to adapt language and terminology to better communicate source meaning. Translating medical (technical) content for healthcare professionals is not the same as translating diseased-focused and clinical trial material for patients.

In the first case, medical translators will use technical language and specialised terminology to properly and precisely transmit what scientific researchers, peer reviewers, KOLs, among others, have to communicate to the medical and scientific community. In the second case, medical translators will have to adapt language, simplify it to match the reader’s literacy level, and use, whenever possible, non-technical terms to aid readability while staying compliant with patient-facing material regulation.

At Vital Translations, we believe that the safest and most effective combination in translation is High Accuracy and High Precision.

How is the combination of high accuracy and high precision achieved?

Simple (or not so simple): through knowledge.

Linguistic Knowledge

Having language expertise which implies mastering both source and target language structural components like morphology, syntax, semantics and pragmatics, and having an in-depth understanding of how human language actually works beyond words to be able to adapt language and terminology based on the translation target audience, always having in mind that the main objective of the translation is to work as a communication bridge between one language/culture and another.

Domain Knowledge

Without subject matter knowledge, the translation process becomes a human or machine automatisation, the mere transfer of words, that is, literal translations that fail at conveying implicit and explicit meaning of the original text. Domain knowledge, gained either by study or hands-on experience, is what aids understanding of highly technical texts. If translators understand what they are translating, they can 1) raise the proper questions to guide their linguistic decisions, 2) quickly orient topic research and terminology search and 3) come up with translations that accurately and precisely reflect the content (meaning and purpose) of the original text.

Accuracy and precision are both crucial concepts if the main objective of translation is to help clients properly reach specific audiences and communicate with them effectively.

When it comes to the translation of your key scientific, regulatory, educational or promotional material, how much are you willing to risk?

Vital Translations is a language service provider (LSP) with 15+ years of experience in the translation industry offering accurate and precise translations for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.

Check our services and request a free quote.

References:

1.  Precision vs Accuracy in Metrology: Understanding Measurement Quality https://advancedspectral.com/precision-vs-accuracy/

2. Accuracy vs Precision: Critical Measurement Differences Explained https://bangid.com/knowledge-base/understanding-the-difference-between-accuracy-and-precision-in-engineering-and-manufacturing/

 3. Accuracy vs Precision: A White Paper Series on Biomedical Metrology, Calibration, and Trust https://www.bitsbiomedical.com/accuracy-vs-precision/

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Are translation and interpretation the same kind of language service?

No. Although both translation and interpretation are language services that require the linguists in charge to be proficient in both the source language and the target language, have translation skills as well as subject matter knowledge on the topic they are working with and be accurate in conveying the tone and intent of the original message, these services serve different purposes. The translation service implies working with written text. Translators work with different types of documents to be printed, published online or even exchanged with other people. The interpretation service implies working with speech; that is, spoken text. Interpreters can work in situ, for example, in meetings, congresses, seminars, over the phone or via videocall. Whether you need a translation service or an interpretation service, always trust certified professional linguists.

No. The translation of regulatory documentation requires in-depth knowledge of the source and target regulatory affairs as well as of the terminology of mandatory use in the pharmaceutical industry to provide high-quality and timely translations and help avoid delays during drug authorisation and registration processes. The translation of advertising materials requires subject matter knowledge plus a touch of creativity, a combination of translation and copywriting skills to transfer the creative language —generally lost during a direct translation— into the target language to achieve the desired response from the target audience.

Yes. The desktop publishing (DTP) service can be provided as an integrated part of the translation process or as an independent service. In the first case, the client sends us the file for translation, and we then deliver a translated file that keeps the integrity of the original design. In the second case, the client sends the linguistic content and the specifications for page layout and a team of experts in the field of desktop publishing generates page layouts and produces printed or digital materials using DTP software. In both cases, we can advise the client on professional output aligned with the target language’s visual layout and design requirements.

Yes. The method for establishing translation rates is based on source word count, language pair, complexity of the document, project volume and urgency of delivery. When clients contact us to get a quote, we analyse the file(s) to determine total word count and the complexity of the file(s) and we also take into account the language pair; for example, if it is English into Spanish, or Spanish into English. Special discount rates may apply in big-volume projects and extra “rush charges” may apply in the case of urgent deliveries.

Yes. To be able to provide a quote, we first need to analyse the file(s) to determine the word count, the complexity and the translation steps that would be involved in the whole translation process; that is, we need to evaluate whether there is non-editable text that needs to be converted into editable text to be translated, determine the total word count to estimate the translation time and delivery date, and assess whether the file(s) require desktop publishing (DTP). To be able to provide an accurate quote, we need to see and analyse the file(s).