A Nonprofit's Guide to Choosing a Medical Translation Partner

For NGOs and nonprofit program managers running global health programs, language access ensures people can fully understand and participate in their programs and information.

Language Access

Language access isn't a communications nicety for NGOs; it's a safety issue. An untranslated dosage instruction, an informed consent form in a foreign language, or an unsubtitled health education video can be the difference between a successful program that protects people and one that puts them at risk.

In a localization context, it typically includes:

• Translation: written materials (consent forms, patient instructions, program materials) accurately converted into a person's preferred language

• Interpretation: real-time spoken or signed communication support (e.g., between a health worker and patient)

• Subtitling/dubbing: video and multimedia content made accessible in other languages

Additionally, it also encompasses plain-language and culturally appropriate content. Not just literal translation, but material that makes sense within the reader's cultural and educational context.

For NGO funders, language access is increasingly treated as a program quality and compliance issue, not just a nice-to-have, since a grantee's ability to reach and safely serve non-English-speaking populations directly affects program outcomes and reportable impact.

High-Stakes Medical Content

Most NGOs running health programs will require the following content translated:

• Informed consent forms, as patients and trial participants need to fully understand what they're agreeing to, in their own language, before they can meaningfully consent

• Instructions for use (IFUs) as a single mistranslated unit or frequency can cause real harm to patients

• Regulatory and compliance information, as programs funded by government grants or operating across borders often must meet local regulatory language requirements

• Program and community-related training materials, as communities and on the ground staff are more likely to engage with health programs when materials are delivered in their language

Translation Services for NGOs

The right language solutions provider will need to supply translations for:

• Clinical trial documentation and informed consent forms for multi-country studies

• Patient education materials and discharge instructions for field clinics

• Training materials for community health workers

• Medical device instructions for use (IFUs) in humanitarian deployments

• Public health campaign videos requiring subtitling or dubbing for local broadcast

• Grant reporting and outcome documentation for multilingual funder and government audiences

How to Choose a Medical Translation Partner for Your NGO 

Not all translation is created equal, and in health contexts, the margin for error is essentially zero. A strong medical translation partner should offer:

• Native, subject-matter linguists: translators with genuine medical or life sciences background, not just language fluency

• Back-translation as a Quality Step: translating content back into the source language, to check that meaning hasn't shifted

• Recognized quality certifications: ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 17100 (translation services) certification, which matter when funders or regulators ask how translation quality is assured

• Information security for sensitive health data:  an Information Security Management System aligned with the principles of the ISO 27001 standard

• Experience across formats: from regulatory documents to subtitled training videos to multimedia public health campaigns

SimulTrans has provided ISO-certified medical translation services since 1984, working with medical organizations, foundations, and nonprofits translating clinical, regulatory, and public health content into 100+ languages. 

Very responsive team especially when it comes to tight deadlines. Quality of work is superb

—Kuehne Foundation

The Bottom Line for Not-For-Profits 

Language access isn't a downstream task in a program; it should be a part of a health program's design. Building it in from the start and choosing the right translation solutions provider protects both the people your program serves and the integrity of the data you report back to funders.

Are you an NGO evaluating a translation partner for your global health program?