AI and MTPE in Life Sciences Translation: What Works, What Doesn’t

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming how life sciences organizations approach multilingual content. One of the most widely adopted applications is Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE), a process where AI-generated translations are reviewed and refined by professional linguists to achieve publication-quality results. In parallel, many companies are implementing hybrid translation strategies that blend AI efficiency with human expertise for faster, cost-effective localization without compromising quality.

Across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device sectors, the demand for scalable, high-quality translation continues to grow due to global clinical trials, regulatory submissions, and multilingual patient engagement. AI and MTPE are emerging as essential tools to support these expanding content needs, particularly for standard, high-volume, or repetitive documentation.

This article provides a practical, evidence-based look at what works with AI and MTPE in the life sciences sector, where human linguistic expertise remains indispensable, and how to make informed decisions based on document type, risk level, and regulatory requirements. Whether you are evaluating AI-assisted translation for clinical trial content, medical labeling, or pharmacovigilance reporting, understanding the strengths and limitations of MTPE is critical to achieving both speed and accuracy.

What Is MTPE and Hybrid Translation?

Machine Translation Post-Editing (MTPE) is the process of refining AI-generated translations through human linguistic review to achieve publication-ready quality. In life sciences, MTPE enables faster delivery of multilingual content while maintaining regulatory and scientific accuracy when performed by qualified post-editors with domain expertise.

There are two levels of MTPE:

• • Light post-editing focuses on correcting major errors and ensuring general readability without stylistic or tone enhancements. This level is typically used for internal documents or time-sensitive communications.
  • Full post-editing involves in-depth editing for accuracy, fluency, tone, and adherence to client-specific terminology. It is suitable for content that must meet high quality standards for external distribution or regulatory compliance.

Hybrid translation refers to a structured workflow that combines machine translation with targeted human input throughout the process. This model typically includes pre-editing, glossary integration, AI-assisted draft generation, and multiple rounds of linguistic and quality review. Hybrid approaches are often applied when speed and consistency are priorities but human oversight remains essential.

Common use cases for MTPE and hybrid translation in the life sciences industry include:

• • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Clinical trial protocols and reports
  • eLearning modules for investigator training
  • Instructions for Use (IFUs) and product manuals

These document types are often high in volume, repetitive in structure, and terminology-driven, making them ideal candidates for AI-assisted workflows.

Where AI and MTPE Add Real Value

AI and MTPE workflows deliver the greatest benefit when applied strategically to specific content types. When used appropriately, these methods can significantly reduce turnaround times and localization costs without sacrificing quality or compliance.

High-Volume, Repetitive Content

AI performs well on documents that follow consistent structures and use recurring terminology. Standardized content such as SOPs, clinical trial protocols, training modules, and case report forms, often part of larger clinical study documentation translation projects, includes repeated phrasing and controlled vocabulary. In these cases, machine-generated drafts provide a solid foundation, and human post-editors refine the output to meet regulatory and linguistic requirements. This combination improves speed and efficiency while maintaining alignment with life sciences standards.

Internal-Use or Lower-Risk Documents

Content that is not intended for external stakeholders or regulatory submission can benefit from a more flexible quality threshold. Examples include investigator presentations, internal compliance training, trial recruitment screeners, and project handbooks. MTPE enables life sciences companies to translate these materials quickly and affordably, while still achieving clarity and consistency through targeted post-editing.

Faster Delivery with Controlled Risk

For time-sensitive projects, MTPE can significantly accelerate delivery timelines. When applied to suitable content types and supported by experienced linguists, post-edited AI output can meet the quality levels expected in many operational scenarios. This approach helps life sciences organizations meet global launch schedules, investigator site timelines, and internal reporting cycles without compromising linguistic or regulatory integrity.

AI-Powered Enhancements Beyond Translation

In addition to accelerating translation workflows, AI technologies provide advanced capabilities that enhance the overall quality and efficiency of multilingual content production. These tools support linguistic preparation, project scoping, and quality assurance in ways that extend far beyond raw machine translation.

Terminology Extraction and Glossary Development

AI-driven terminology extraction tools scan source content to identify high-frequency terms, specialized phrases, and domain-specific language. These terms are compiled into draft glossaries that can be validated and refined by human linguists. This capability is especially valuable for clinical trial documentation, regulatory filings, and product labeling, where consistent terminology is critical for accuracy and compliance. By integrating glossary management early in the process, Sesen ensures alignment across all project phases and target languages.

Content Preview and Risk Analysis

Before translation begins, AI can assess documents for text complexity, repetitive segments, and risk-prone language patterns. This pre-editing analysis helps determine whether a file is suitable for MTPE, full human translation, or a hybrid workflow. It also supports more efficient project scoping by identifying sections that require increased human review, such as dense scientific narratives or patient-facing passages. These insights improve resource allocation and help reduce downstream revision cycles.

Automated Linguistic Checking

Post-translation, AI tools perform automated checks to flag grammar issues, terminology mismatches, inline tag errors, and style inconsistencies. These tools operate within ISO 17100-compliant quality systems and provide an added layer of validation before human QA. While automation enhances detection speed and reduces human error, final linguistic approval is always performed by qualified reviewers to maintain life sciences standards and regulatory readiness.

Where Full Human Translation Remains Essential

While AI and MTPE offer significant advantages for many types of content, certain documents in the life sciences field demand the judgment, accuracy, and contextual understanding that only professional human translators can provide. These cases involve regulatory risk, patient safety, and nuanced scientific expression that cannot be fully managed by automation or post-editing alone.

Regulatory Submissions and Audit-Ready Content

Documents submitted to regulatory bodies such as the FDA, EMA, PMDA, and NMPA require full compliance with regional and international standards. For these use cases, Sesen recommends regulatory submission translation services performed by experienced linguists with subject matter expertise. Translation errors in dossiers, clinical study reports, or labeling documentation can result in compliance failures, delayed approvals, or legal exposure. Human translation ensures the precision, consistency, and accountability needed to meet stringent regulatory expectations and support audit-readiness across all markets.

Nuanced Scientific Writing

Content that involves complex reasoning, interpretive summaries, or critical risk-benefit evaluations demands a deep understanding of scientific language and logic. Sections such as clinical overviews, investigator brochures, and pharmacovigilance narratives often contain layered medical arguments that cannot be reliably rendered by machine translation. Human translators with life sciences expertise are essential to preserve meaning and intent.

Patient-Facing Materials

Materials such as informed consent forms (ICFs), instructions for use (IFUs), and patient education brochures require careful consideration of tone, clarity, and cultural sensitivity. Even full post-editing may fail to recognize subtle issues related to readability, health literacy, or patient comprehension. Human translation ensures the language is both accurate and empathetic, supporting safe use and ethical communication with diverse patient populations.

Creative or Marketing Adaptation

When content is intended to engage or persuade, such as product launch materials, multilingual websites, or patient recruitment campaigns, stylistic fluency becomes just as important as factual accuracy. Human translators are better equipped to adapt messaging across cultures while preserving the brand voice and scientific credibility of life sciences companies.

Key MTPE Quality Considerations in Life Sciences

The effectiveness of MTPE in the life sciences sector depends on rigorous quality controls, domain-specific workflows, and qualified linguistic oversight. Sesen applies a comprehensive framework to ensure every AI-assisted project meets the high standards expected in regulated and patient-facing environments.

Qualified Human Post-Editors

Post-editing in life sciences requires more than just language skills. Sesen works exclusively with linguists who possess subject matter expertise in pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices, or clinical research. Our post-editors are trained in regulatory documentation, clinical trial protocols, and medical terminology, enabling them to identify AI errors that could compromise compliance, clarity, or scientific accuracy.

Custom MT Engine Training

Generic MT engines often produce suboptimal results for highly technical content. Sesen customizes and fine-tunes machine translation engines using validated, domain-specific corpora to improve baseline output before post-editing. This approach enhances terminology consistency and reduces rework, making MTPE more efficient and scalable for life sciences applications.

Terminology Management Integration

Terminology consistency is critical in regulated industries. Sesen integrates AI-generated term extraction with human linguistic validation to develop accurate and client-approved glossaries and style guides. These glossaries are embedded into both the MT engine and post-editing workflows to support controlled vocabulary, regulatory references, and product-specific language across all deliverables.

Human-in-the-Loop Quality Assurance

All MTPE output is reviewed through structured quality assurance (QA) workflows that include human linguistic validation. Sesen uses standardized QA models aligned with ISO 17100 and ISO 13485:2016 to evaluate accuracy, fluency, terminology use, and compliance. This ensures that AI-assisted translations meet the same quality thresholds as fully human-translated content, especially for submission-critical or public-facing materials.

How Sesen Approaches MTPE and Hybrid Translation

At Sesen, we apply a risk-calibrated, client-centric approach to machine translation post-editing (MTPE) and hybrid workflows. Our model balances AI-driven efficiency with human linguistic precision, ensuring every project meets regulatory, scientific, and quality expectations across the life sciences sector.

Tailored Workflows Based on Risk and Content Type

Sesen customizes each translation project based on the complexity, regulatory exposure, and intended use of the source content. We determine whether MTPE, hybrid, or full human translation is appropriate through a structured evaluation process. Clients can opt in or out of machine-assisted workflows depending on compliance requirements, internal preferences, and document sensitivity. This flexibility ensures that each project is optimized for speed, cost, and risk tolerance.

Domain Expertise at Every Stage

Our MTPE workflows are managed and executed by linguists with deep experience in life sciences translation, including clinical research, pharmacovigilance, regulatory affairs, and medical device documentation. These professionals bring the subject matter knowledge necessary to detect inaccuracies, interpret technical context, and refine tone for both scientific and patient-facing content.

Technology-Enabled, Human-Led

Sesen uses a secure, AWS-hosted infrastructure to manage MTPE and hybrid translation workflows. Our proprietary tools, including SesenGPT, enhance productivity by supporting automated terminology extraction, content complexity assessment, and AI-assisted pre-editing. These technologies streamline project execution while maintaining human oversight to uphold quality and compliance.

Full Compliance with ISO Standards

We follow ISO 17100 and ISO 13485:2016 certified translation processes, ensuring that all deliverables meet the quality, traceability, and audit-readiness standards expected in highly regulated industries. Every project includes documented workflows, bilingual review, and comprehensive linguistic quality assurance for submission-critical materials.

Case Examples and Lessons Learned

Real-world applications of MTPE and hybrid translation in life sciences demonstrate both the advantages and limitations of these approaches. The following examples highlight where AI-assisted workflows succeed and where traditional human translation remains necessary.

Success Story: Accelerated IFU Project with Full MTPE

A global medical device manufacturer engaged Sesen to translate a 150-page multilingual Instructions for Use (IFU) document across 12 languages. By applying a full MTPE workflow with custom glossary alignment, terminology validation, and pre-QA tagging, Sesen reduced turnaround time by 40% without compromising on regulatory compliance or linguistic accuracy. The structured post-editing process ensured consistent terminology, accurate labeling references, and audit-ready deliverables.

Cautionary Case: Patient Brochure Requiring Retranslation

A biotechnology client used a generic MTPE approach to draft a patient education brochure for use in multiple EU markets. Although the machine-generated translation was reviewed by editors, it failed to address cultural nuances, tone inconsistencies, and patient comprehension gaps. The initial version was deemed unsuitable by in-country reviewers, requiring a full human retranslation to meet quality and compliance standards. The case underscored the importance of tailoring workflows to content type and audience sensitivity.

Key Takeaway

MTPE can significantly improve efficiency and scalability when applied to the right types of life sciences content. However, it is not a universal solution. Success depends on careful project scoping, expert post-editing, and a thorough understanding of regulatory and patient-facing communication requirements. Sesen helps clients make informed decisions about when to use MTPE and when to rely on full human translation.

FAQs: AI and MTPE in Life Sciences

Is MTPE acceptable for regulatory submissions?

In most cases, full human translation is recommended for regulatory submissions due to the high level of risk and the need for precise language. While MTPE can support components such as internal drafts, reference translations, or supportive documentation, final submissions to agencies like the FDA, EMA, PMDA, or NMPA should undergo human translation with bilingual review to meet regulatory expectations and audit-readiness standards.

How does Sesen assess whether MTPE is appropriate?

Sesen conducts a pre-translation assessment to evaluate document complexity, risk level, terminology density, and regulatory exposure. Based on this analysis, we determine whether MTPE, hybrid workflows, or full human translation is best suited for the content. This process ensures the selected workflow aligns with quality, compliance, and delivery goals.

Can clients review and approve glossary and engine settings?

Yes. Clients are encouraged to participate in terminology development, including review and approval of project glossaries, style guides, and custom MT engine configurations. This collaborative approach helps maintain brand consistency, regulatory compliance, and scientific accuracy across all translated content.

What’s the difference between AI-generated and AI-assisted translation?

AI-generated translation refers to raw output produced by a machine translation engine without human involvement. In contrast, AI-assisted translation combines automated tools with human linguists to guide terminology, perform content previews, and enhance quality checks throughout the workflow. Sesen uses AI-assisted translation to improve efficiency while maintaining full human oversight of deliverables.

Will using AI reduce my turnaround time without compromising quality?

Yes, when applied to the appropriate content types, AI-enabled workflows can significantly reduce turnaround times while maintaining high quality. Sesen combines domain-trained MT engines, expert post-editors, and ISO-compliant QA processes to deliver fast, accurate results for clinical, regulatory, and operational materials.

Striking the Right Balance Between Speed and Accuracy

AI and MTPE are reshaping how life sciences organizations manage multilingual content, offering clear advantages in scalability, cost efficiency, and turnaround speed. When applied to structured, lower-risk content types, these tools can streamline translation workflows while preserving consistency and accuracy through professional post-editing.

However, for high-impact content such as regulatory submissions, clinical summaries, and patient communications, human-led workflows remain essential. These materials require contextual judgment, cultural sensitivity, and domain-specific clarity that AI tools alone cannot provide.

Sesen delivers a balanced, quality-focused approach by combining AI-driven efficiencies with expert human linguists who specialize in life sciences. Whether applying full human translation, hybrid strategies, or post-editing of domain-trained machine output, we tailor every project to meet your regulatory, operational, and quality objectives.

Drive Quality and Efficiency with the Right Translation Approach

Discover how Sesen combines advanced AI tools with expert human oversight to deliver high-quality, compliant translations tailored for life sciences. Whether you need speed, precision, or both, our MTPE and hybrid solutions are built for regulated content at scale.

REQUEST A QUOTEBOOK A CONSULTATION