Translation is often just the first step, especially when materials need to be not just accurate, but also professionally presented. In healthcare and public health publications, multilingual typesetting plays a vital role and is far more complex than it may appear at first glance.
A good translation isn’t enough – the text has to look right too
When adapting a healthcare document or digital publication into multiple languages, it’s not just the words that change. Every language behaves differently in terms of text length, reading direction and visual balance. For example, French texts are often longer than their English counterparts, Arabic is read from right to left and Chinese characters follow an entirely different typographic logic.
What do we pay attention to in multilingual healthcare publications?
1. Specialised healthcare translators
Healthcare content is always entrusted to native translators with expertise in medical and public health terminology. A poorly chosen word isn’t just confusing – it could even be dangerous if the material is used to inform medical decisions.
2. Multilingual desktop publishing (DTP)
Original source files, such as InDesign packages, need to be restructured for each target language. This involves adjusting fonts, line spacing, images and page breaks. For Arabic and Chinese, DTP requires in-depth technical and cultural knowledge.
3. Consistency in visuals and terminology
If a document is published in four languages, the reader should immediately recognise that they’re engaging with the same credible brand – whether reading in French or Chinese.
A real-life example: communicating lung cancer screening globally
We recently assisted an international health policy organisation with the multilingual publication of a digital report designed to support the implementation of lung cancer screening programmes.
Key figures:
- 25,000+ words translated into Spanish, French, Arabic and Chinese
- All languages handled by native healthcare translation specialists
- Right-to-left layout managed for Arabic, with font and formatting adaptations
- Chinese typesetting handled by regional experts familiar with script-specific typographic standards
- The result: a clear, accurate and visually coherent publication ready for global distribution
When do you need multilingual typesetting services?
- For publishing brochures or reports in multiple languages
- When working with right-to-left scripts (such as Arabic or Hebrew)
- For non-Latin scripts (such as Chinese or Japanese)
- To handle variations in text length across languages creatively
- For ensuring that infographics facilitate the understanding of both text and content
Need professional multilingual typesetting and healthcare translation support?
Get in touch with us! We offer expert translation and layout services in over 60 languages, with dedicated teams for regulated and technical content.
