When traveling abroad and needing to obtain medicines, prescription translation is essential and requires special expertise and in-depth knowledge of medicine names and uses. Here we take a closer look at prescription translation and the challenges associated with this type of service.
Receipt: Definition
Prescriptions are issued by healthcare professionals (physicians, dentists, ophthalmologists, etc.). It contains a list of medicines and treatments that the patient needs, which the patient can obtain at the pharmacy. This document usually contains personal instructions on how to dose and use the drug.
When traveling abroad, you may need to have your prescription translated so that you can read and understand your doctor's orders or get the correct treatment at your local pharmacy.
What are the special requirements for translating prescriptions?
Prescription translation is a major challenge from the perspective of patient health and confidentiality of the processed information.
If not done correctly, it can have serious consequences for patients and impede access to healthcare. Furthermore, the confidentiality of personal data is an important task for translators, and the protection of this sensitive information must not be compromised.
Therefore, translating prescriptions requires the assistance of a translator specializing in the medical field. In addition to mastering the source and target languages, translators must also be familiar with field-specific terminology.
In the case of illegible handwritten prescriptions, translators should also take the initiative to contact the attending physician for clarification.
→ What you need to know: Certain medical documents, such as medical certificates, medical reports, and laboratory reports, can also be translated by professional translators.
What are the benefits of professional medical translation?
Translations of prescriptions, medical statements, medical prescriptions (French, Spanish, German, Arabic, etc.) require absolute accuracy and accuracy to avoid mistakes that can have serious consequences for patients. It is necessary. If needed, our emergency translation service can provide you with professional translations in a short period of time.
With over 40 years of experience and a network of 80 centers around the world, Alphatrad offers prescription translations in approximately 100 languages. Our professional native language translators have in-depth knowledge of medical terminology and provide reliable, high-quality services.
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Prescription Translation Frequently Asked Questions
Although a doctor's prescription is not always valid abroad, you may be able to obtain the medicine simply by translating the prescription into the target language. Some countries may also require a local prescription before certain treatments can be dispensed. If not, remember to ask your doctor for an international prescription before you travel.
Regulatory standards for prescriptions include:
Patient's name Date of prescription International name of the drug and its dose Duration of treatment Doctor's signature.
These five elements are often important to ensure order compliance and legality (varies by country) and must not be changed during the translation process.