Quality Guidelines to Translators

To be read and signed by all translators and proofreaders

Objective

Your translation will be read and used by many people in the chain of the pharmaceutical industry, going up to the Registration Authorities (FDA or EU). A poor translation is remarked and can cause a great deal of damage to our client.

Our objective is to supply an accurate, clear and well presented translation—in the shortest possible time.

These guidelines have been drawn up to this end, to make our work conform to FDA and EU standards of quality and maintain our reputation in the industry.

Rules

1. Documents must not be taken out of the premises without express and written permission. It is your legal obligation to guarantee their confidentiality at all times.
2. Before starting work, make sure you have by your side your dictionaries, the List of Standard Terms, the Notice to Applicants for Marketing Authorization for medicinal products in the Member States of the European Community, and any background documentation that may have been supplied with the current job.
3. Before starting the actual translation, the first step is to read the whole document to the end and ensure that you understand every word. Passages about which you are not sure must be underlined and discussed with other colleagues at NIP or the right person on our list of Special Consultants. Finally, the client may be contacted if necessary. At no time must a translator guess at a phrase or word if it is not clear to him. Actual dictation or typing must start only after you are sure that you have mastered the whole text.
4. Translation must be done in the same style and format as the original document. Our objective is to provide a faithful translation, not to make improvements or subjective changes. Standard terms should be used, according to the List of Standard Terms and the Lexicum Pharmaceuticum. Figures and proper nouns must be carefully entered under direct vision of the original.
5. The completed work is then carefully proofread by the Proofreader, who is anonymous and independent. He reads the text for accuracy and fluency to the highest standard. Every figure and proper noun is checked individually. Red ink must not be spared. Every clumsy sentence must be rewritten.
6. The corrected copy is produced by the secretary or the translator for final approval by Dr. Nagpal.
7. All drafts, photocopies or faxes are archived or returned to the client.
8. The final paper copy and diskette are submitted to the client.
9. We remain available for any changes or corrections that may be suggested by the client. These will be done promptly, without undue discussion.

Translator’s name:________________
Signature:________________________ Date:__/__/____

Doctor HRS Nagpal

MA MB BChir (Cantab)
Doctor of Medicine from Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Residencies at King’s College Hospital, London and St George’s Hospital London. Chief Resident of the Intensive Care Unit of The American Hospital of Paris. Resident at Hôpital Necker of Paris. Consultant at Hôpital St Anne of Paris.