Keeping Global Clinical Trials On Track

Webinars with simultaneous multi-lingual interpretation ensure that procedures are followed consistently in all participating countries.

Video conferencing has become an effective tool to address groups of people in different parts of the world, and present topics to them that might easily get lost in yet another attachment-heavy email. Seminars broadcast in real time over the web offer the possibility of visually connecting with the presenter, of facilitating instant Q&A sessions, taking surveys and keeping the entire meeting accessible online for any desired period of time.

But the language barrier still has the potential of greatly diminishing the effect of virtual events. Rather than translating the slides used in the presentations and making them available to the participants in the different countries—which they may or may not have present during the actual seminar—live interpreters can offer a real (and real-time) solution to overcome any communication gap.

Technicalities

In principle, the interpretation process is no different than during actual—as opposed to virtual—conferences: two professional interpreters take turns listening to the presentation while simultaneously translating it into the target language. However, just as the listeners are not gathered at a convention center, the interpreters interpret from their office or home rather than a booth, and the microphones are replaced with phone lines. The audience can dial into the teleconference portion using a line dedicated to their respective language, over which the interpretation is broadcast live, while following the presentations online on their computer screen.

Challenges to the interpreter

Aside from the inherent challenges of simultaneous interpretation itself, mastered only by trained and experienced professionals, virtual situations pose additional demands on the interpreters. Technical issues are certainly one of them, even if everything goes smoothly: audio and video quality over the web is lower than at live events, which can make it difficult to follow presentations. Questions and comments from the listeners over the English phone line are especially hard to understand due to feedback and similar sound problems, and questions asked via the text box feature are not visible to the interpreters, since they share the audience’s and not the presenters’ web broadcast.

The risk of connection problems or interruptions, application failures and similar further adds to the stress level of a job that studies generally categorize as one of the high-stress professions (these include commercial airline pilot, corporate executive, emergency medical technician). Not being able to work directly with your partner—not even via eye contact—to arrange when the other one should take over, assist each other with terminology or figures is another game changer for the interpreter, requiring an even higher level of concentration and preparation.

Making it easy

Preparation and terminology are actually two areas where the client—i.e. the organization or company conducting the seminar or meeting—can help. Make sure that your language services agency of choice receives materials like slides, questionnaires, etc. in advance. If the web/teleconference provider partners with a translation company, insist that the interpreters assigned must be experienced professionals and that all documentation you provide is promptly passed on to them. If virtual meetings are designed to become an ongoing part of the clinical trial, having the same interpreters for each webinar or conference—to the extent possible in terms of scheduling—can contribute tremendously to its success, since they will be familiar with topics, presenters, vocabulary, and other specifics. It is equally crucial to be aware of factors that may become stumbling blocks for fluent interpretation, such as speaking at a very fast pace, presenters with a strong accent, incorporating figures or product names not specified in the slides/provided beforehand, or technical issues as described above. Understanding the role of and challenges for the interpreter and working towards facilitating his or her part in the virtual event will enhance the outcome for everyone involved.

The future

Communication is key in clinical trials with international participation. Webinars provide an easy and convenient way to go over protocols and processes, present results, give an overview of the current status, invite different keynote speakers, answer questions, and simultaneously gain insight on what was learned by posting instant surveys to the participants. Their full effect, however, can only be guaranteed if each audience member has the opportunity to listen in his or her native language. By adding simultaneous interpretation into the participants’ individual languages, clinical trials can achieve a higher level of consistency and thus more reliable results.

Article cannot be reproduced without written consent.

aiaCONNECT

Keeping Global Clinical Trials On Track