Q1070. How to translate laboratory test reports across multiple scientific languages?

Answered by the NYC Visa & Translation certified translation team

Laboratory test reports cross languages in product registration (FDA, TISI), industrial quality control, environmental compliance, and clinical diagnostics. The translation rules that matter: test results are never translated — numeric values, units, and measurement conditions are transcribed exactly, and the translation covers the report's framework text (method descriptions, sample identification, conclusions, accreditation statements); the test method references (ISO, ASTM, AOAC, pharmacopoeia methods) are cited by their standard codes, which are language-independent and must be preserved exactly; and the laboratory's accreditation details (ISO/IEC 17025 scope, accreditation body, certificate number) must be translated accurately because the receiving authority assesses the report's validity from them. Language-specific practice: reports from major testing laboratories (SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, TÜV) are usually issued in English regardless of where the lab sits — request the English version at commissioning rather than translating afterwards; reports from national laboratories in China, Japan, Korea, or Europe may be issued only in the national language, needing full translation; and for Thai FDA submissions, the report translation must use the FDA's product-category terminology. For clinical laboratory reports used in medical treatment abroad, the hospital's international office usually specifies the format. Confirm with the receiving authority whether it needs the full report translated or only the summary and conclusion pages — this commonly halves the cost.