Manual de traducción inglés-español de protocolos de ensayos clínicos

The protocol is the detailed written record of the method used in clinical trial and it has a decisive influence on the study’s quality and reliability of results. Even though it is a scientific document, it is aimed at a wide range of readers, from the most specialized to the most general. Translation should involve rigor, precision and clarity, but these become even more important in the translation of clinical trial protocols, since a mistake can have serious consequences and even threaten the lives of the people being studied.

Pablo Mugüerza, a specialist in medical translations, is the editor of this manual whose aim is to facilitate the task of the translator of clinical trial protocols. These are usually dry and dense texts that are full of jargon and concepts known only by a handful of experts, and which test the skills of the best translator. The translation of these protocols involves attention to the subtleties of expression and turns of language, especially treacherous in section that are apparently simple, e.g. the data collection instruments, consent solicitation or patient outcomes.

In a systematic, logical and precise way, the Booklet of English-Spanish translation of clinical trial protocols, published by the Esteve Foundation, guides the reader through the different parts of a protocol, indicating at each step the keys to translating and illustrating each recommendation with practical examples. The literature that supports the material is broad and the tools recommended are abundant and easily accessible via the Internet.

In this way, and as recommended by the editor Pablo Mugüerza, this 23rd Esteve Foundation Notebook can be used not only as a guide to translate clinical trial protocols, but also in many other ways. The final glossary serves as a specialized dictionary of equivalents. Its practical section also serves to check concrete terms. Finally, it can be used as a reference, to find out more about the opinions of the authors or simply as a book to read to learn more about clinical trial protocols in general.