5 Strategies to Reduce the Translation Cost of Your IFUs under the MDR
According to the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) language requirements, manufacturers must provide clear and localized Instructions for Use (IFUs) for each relevant market. While necessary for compliance, multilingual IFUs can represent a significant portion of the documentation budget, especially for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions.
Below are five practical strategies to help reduce translation costs while maintaining compliance and documentation quality.
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1. Optimize the IFU Source Content
Translation costs are typically calculated per word. Therefore, reducing word count at the source can result in substantial savings, particularly when IFUs are translated into many languages.
In order to achieve this, you should:
- Use concise, standardized phrasing.
- Avoid redundancy.
- Apply structured writing principles: consider using tools like MadCap Flare or Adobe FrameMaker, which allow content to be organized in reusable modules or blocks.
- If IFUs are already written, carrying out a pre-translation editorial review to simplify language and eliminate unnecessary content can significantly lower costs, especially when translating into 10+ languages.
2. Use Visuals to Replace Repetitive Text
Clear illustrations or diagrams can convey instructions more efficiently than lengthy descriptions, with the added benefit of not needing a translation. This approach becomes more cost-effective the more languages you support.
Visuals are especially effective for step-by-step processes, warnings or assembly instructions. Before adding any visuals, ensure that they all comply with MDR requirements and are validated during usability testing.
3. Author IFUs Directly in English
English typically uses fewer words than many other European languages, such as French or Italian. Writing the original IFU in English can therefore reduce the total word count and create a more efficient basis for translation. Furthermore, English is also the most common pivot language in translation workflows, simplifying project management.
Apart from being a way to reduce the word count, translating from English may have other advantages. If you want to know further, read 3 reasons for and 2 against translating from English.
Keep in mind: English phrasing must remain clear and compliant for all user populations, including non-native speakers.
4. Consider AI Translation with Post-Editing (MTPE)
For some types of content, AI translation followed by professional post-editing can offer a balance between cost and quality. However, its feasibility and gains of productivity depends on:
- The technical complexity of the IFUs.
- The clarity and consistency of the source text.
- The availability of custom-trained translation engines adapted to your product range.
To improve MT output, write in plain, unambiguous sentences and avoid idiomatic or creative language. This makes content more predictable and easier to translate accurately.
5. Leverage Translation Memory and Format Consistency
Most translation agencies now use Translation Memory (TM) systems to detect and reuse previously translated segments. This results in lower costs and faster turnaround.
To maximize reuse:
- Maintain consistency in phrasing across all IFUs.
- Standardize document formatting: A sentence in bold or with different spacing might not be recognized as a repetition by the TM tool.
- Use documentation tools that support modular content reuse and multilingual version control (e.g., FrameMaker, Flare, or XML-based systems).
Well-maintained translation memories and consistent formatting can lead to significant cost reductions over time, especially for devices with multiple configurations or accessories.
Conclusion
Reducing IFU translation costs is not about cutting corners, it’s about creating compliant and reusable content. By combining strategic authoring, smart tools, and close collaboration with translation providers, regulatory and documentation teams can ensure both cost-effectiveness and MDR compliance.
If your organization publishes IFUs in multiple EU languages, applying even a few of these strategies can make a tangible difference to your translation budget.
Do you need help translating your instructions for use? Contact us, we are a translation service provider specialized in medical devices and we will be happy to help you.
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Josh Gambin holds a 5-year degree in Biology from the University of Valencia (Spain) and a 4-year degree in Translation and Interpreting from the University of Granada (Spain). He has worked as a freelance translator, in-house translator, desktop publisher and project manager. From 2002, he is a founding member of AbroadLlink and currently works as Marketing and Sales Manager.
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