ISO 9001 
ISO 17100 
ISO 18587 LinguaVox provides life sciences translation services for pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, CROs, medical device manufacturers and healthcare organisations. We manage multilingual projects in more than 150 languages, combining specialist translators, project management, terminology control and review workflows according to what each assignment requires.
Translation for the life sciences sector
Life sciences is a broad field that runs from laboratory research to regulatory submission, patient communication and after-sales support. What ties it together is the need for terminological control, confidentiality and a clear distinction between professional translation, expert review and content destined for regulatory use. The same molecule, device or study may generate scientific articles, regulatory files, training material and patient-facing documents, and each of these is written for a different reader and carries a different level of risk.
That is why we never assign a project on language pair alone. The document type, the target reader, the destination market, the file format and the level of review all shape the workflow. A summary for a regulatory dossier and a leaflet for patients start from the same science but are handled very differently.
Documents we translate
Typical life sciences documents include clinical documentation, patient-facing materials, regulatory files, laboratory reports, medical device content, pharmaceutical product information, scientific publications, training material and quality procedures. Some are internal working documents, some are published, some support tenders or product launches, and some are submitted to regulators or ethics committees. Within the EU, much of this content must be made available in the national languages of the markets concerned, which is why life sciences projects are so often multilingual from the outset.
Before quoting, we review the files whenever possible. This lets us identify non-editable text, tables, screenshots, embedded graphics, repetitions, multilingual layouts, versioning issues and any client instructions that should be applied during translation, so there are fewer surprises once the project is under way.
Specialist translators and quality control
Projects are assigned to translators with subject-matter experience in the relevant area and the right language combination. Where the assignment includes bilingual revision, a second qualified linguist checks the translation against the source for accuracy, terminology and completeness, and the project manager then reviews files, instructions and delivery format before the work is returned.
This supports ISO 17100-based workflows for professional translation. For large volumes of suitable, lower-risk content, full post-editing of machine translation can be considered, but only where the content type and quality target make that appropriate; regulated and patient-facing material is normally handled by human translation with revision.
Terminology and consistency over time
Life sciences clients rarely order a single document and stop. They publish updates, new versions and new language combinations over months and years. Planning terminology early — through glossaries, translation memories, client style guides and EDQM Standard Terms or other approved references where relevant — keeps wording aligned across teams, markets and versions. Correcting terminology after several language versions have already shipped is slower and more expensive than agreeing it at the start.
Languages, formats and multilingual delivery
Life sciences projects are rarely single-language. A product launch may need the major EU languages together, while a global study or device may add combinations such as Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Arabic and Brazilian Portuguese. We coordinate these in parallel rather than one at a time, so that every market receives an equivalent version on the same schedule. We handle the formats this content normally arrives in — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, editable PDF, HTML, XML and XLIFF, as well as InDesign for leaflets and packaging — and can return files ready for layout or already laid out where desktop publishing is part of the job. For recurring programmes we keep structured delivery folders organised by language and version, so that teams in regulatory affairs, quality and marketing can always find the current file. This matters because life sciences content is revised continuously: the value of a translation partner here is as much in managing versions and consistency over time as in any single document.
Related services
Life sciences translation frequently connects with technical translation, legal and certified translation, regulatory and medical writing support, website localisation, subtitling for training videos, desktop publishing for leaflets and terminology management. The right combination depends on the files and on how the translated content will be used.
How to request a quote
To prepare an accurate quote, send the files, the language combination, the deadline, the destination markets and the intended use. If you have previous translations, glossaries, translation memories, reference documents or style preferences, include them. For large multilingual projects we can organise staged deliveries, separate files by language and keep the same structure across all target markets, so the translation fits your existing workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Which areas does "life sciences" translation cover?
It is an umbrella covering pharmaceutical, medical, biotechnology, clinical research and medical device content, plus general healthcare material. We assign each document to a translator with the right specialism, so a regulatory file and a patient leaflet are handled by suitably experienced linguists rather than as generic text.
Do you translate into all the EU languages a product launch needs?
Yes. We routinely coordinate the same content across several EU languages at once, which is common for product information, IFUs and patient materials. We keep terminology and layout consistent across versions and can deliver them on a shared schedule.
How do you protect confidential research and regulatory data?
Life sciences content is handled with professional confidentiality. We can work under non-disclosure agreements where required and limit access to the translators and reviewers assigned to the project. Tell us about any specific data-handling requirements and we will confirm how we meet them before starting.
Can you align translations with our existing terminology?
Yes. We can work from your glossaries, previous versions, style guides and approved reference terminology, and build a translation memory so wording stays consistent across documents, languages and future updates. This is especially useful for companies publishing recurring regulated content.
Do you provide certified or sworn translations of life sciences documents?
Yes, where a document needs official certification — for example certain regulatory, legal or academic documents. We confirm whether a certified or sworn version is required based on the destination country and authority, but final acceptance always rests with the receiving body.
