In the realm of clinical research, transparency and accessibility are paramount. While scientific papers are essential for academics and scientists, lay summaries serve as bridges, Connecting the results and findings from complex studies with the broader patient community. These summaries, written in plain language, ensure that the outcomes of clinical trials are comprehensible to the general public. However, translating these summaries adds another layer of complexity, requiring careful consideration of language nuances and cultural sensitivities.
In this blog post, we delve into the intricacies of lay summary translation, drawing insights from experts in the field and exploring best practices to ensure clarity and accuracy.
Understanding Lay Summaries
Before diving into the translation process, it’s crucial to grasp the essence of lay summaries. These summaries distill the key findings of clinical studies into language that non-experts or lay persons can easily understand. They provide essential information about the research’s purpose, methods, results, and implications without overwhelming the reader with technical jargon. Lay summaries are invaluable tools for promoting transparency, fostering public trust, and empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health.
Writing an Effective Lay Summary
Crafting a reliable lay summary requires a delicate balance between simplicity and accuracy. A good lay summary should be concise, engaging, and free of technical terminology. It should answer fundamental questions such as “What was the purpose of the study?” “What were the main findings?” and “What do these findings mean for participants and the study population?” Moreover, the tone should be friendly and approachable, fostering a sense of connection and trust between the reader and the researchers.
Challenges in Translation
Translating lay summaries presents several challenges, primarily stemming from the need to maintain clarity, conceptual equivalence, and cultural relevance. Translators must navigate linguistic nuances and cultural differences to ensure that the translated text resonates with the target audience. Moreover, they must be mindful of readability metrics such as Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, which measures the readability of English text. Adapting the text to suit the linguistic and cultural context of the target language requires careful attention to detail and linguistic expertise.
Best Practices in Lay Summary Translation
To facilitate effective translation, it’s essential to follow best practices outlined by industry experts. Good Lay Summary Practice refers to the guidelines and principles followed in the creation of lay summaries, which are simplified explanations of complex scientific or technical information intended for non-expert audiences. It is important to maintain a collaborative approach, involving translators, reviewers, and subject matter experts throughout the translation process. Moreover, leveraging translation management systems can streamline workflows, ensure consistency, and facilitate version control. Additionally, the language service provider you choose must understand the significance of post-editing and linguistic validation to enhance the quality and accuracy of translated lay summaries.
Driving Transparency Through Translation
Beyond linguistic considerations, translating lay summaries is crucial in promoting transparency and accessibility in clinical research. Multilingual lay summaries enable individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds to access critical information about clinical trials. By breaking down language barriers, translation facilitates meaningful engagement with research findings, empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
We can ensure that translated lay summaries are accurate, accessible, and impactful by adhering to best practices and leveraging the expertise of translators and subject matter experts. Ultimately, these summaries serve as catalysts for transparency, fostering public trust and facilitating meaningful engagement with clinical research findings. As we continue to strive for inclusivity and accessibility in healthcare, effective lay summary translation remains an essential tool for patient recruitment, bridging the gap between science and society.
What Makes Morningside Unique
As clinical trials have become more international in scope, precise translations and rigorous quality controls have become even more essential. That’s why the world’s largest pharma companies and CROs choose Morningside to help them deliver better outcomes through reliable clinical document translation and linguistic validation services. Clients trust us to handle their most valuable data and mitigate risk for a wide range of clinical trial documents, from patient questionnaires to case report forms (CRFs) and lay summaries. Our translators consistently deliver linguistically accurate, culturally adapted documents so our clients can deliver results.
Globally Recognized Subject Matter Expertise
Morningside has provided leading pharma and biotech companies and CROs with reliable language solutions for over 20 years. Our expertise covers the spectrum of therapeutic and technical proficiencies, and our linguists are rigorously vetted to ensure end-user comprehension and preservation of intended meanings, whatever the subject matter.
Superior Quality
Working exclusively with qualified subject matter experts is just part of our unwavering commitment to quality. Morningside employs ISO 13485 and 17001 compliant processes and controls and a 3-tier linguistic review once the initial translation is completed. English lay summaries are held in accordance with the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level assessment.
Technology-enabled Risk Management
With the integrity of your data at stake, we employ industry-leading technologies – some of which are proprietary – to enhance the quality of your translations, decrease turnarounds, and control costs. Translation Memory (TM) tools and client-specific glossaries are some of the intelligent, secure, ISO 27001-backed technologies we utilize to mitigate risk and provide better outcomes.
About Morningside
As clinical trials have become more international in scope, precise translations and rigorous quality controls have become even more essential. That’s why the world’s largest pharma companies and CROs choose Morningside, a Questel Company, to help them deliver better outcomes through reliable clinical document translation & linguistic validation services. Clients trust us to handle their most valuable data and mitigate risk for various clinical trial documents, from patient questionnaires and lay summaries to case report forms (CRFs). Our translators consistently deliver linguistically accurate, culturally adapted documents so our clients can deliver results. Be sure to contact us with questions related to your clinical trial!