Translations for the dietary supplements market
Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, extracts of plant origin, fibre: for some time there has been a general consensus among the scientific community that a varied and balanced diet allied with appropriate pre-dosed dietary supplements is fundamental for preventing many common diseases and can also enhance the efficacy of traditional medical treatments. Whether for self-medication, for athletes, for those recovering from illness, for dietary regimes or in the event the body is lacking certain elements, today’s consumer can choose from a wide array of remedies borrowed from so-called gentle or alternative medicines.
In sectors like the dietary supplements market international trade is particularly intense also because globalisation has enabled a vast public to become familiar with the therapeutic virtues of plants from other parts of the world and to take advantage of the time-honoured practices of other cultures for their own benefits: traditional Chinese medicine and ayurvedic medicine are two such examples that come immediately to mind. The global herbal medicine and phytotherapy product markets are also very strong and Italy is one of the world’s biggest producers, importers and distributors of these products.
Landoor offers its language services to producers and distributors of dietary supplements in all natural medicine sectors. We translate and localise documents for regulatory offices, primary packaging (packages and labels) and marketing content. We are also experts in the localisation of packaging and information materials for homeopathic, homotoxicological and anthroposophic remedies, which however differ from the aforementioned types of alternative medicines mainly because they involve dilution and dynamisation.
Localisation compliant with the law
Our translators and localisers work with great assurance not only because of their excellent language skills but also because they have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter and all relevant regulations. In fact, the European regulations (like those of the USA and other major markets) establish standardised practices that minimise risks for consumers and prevent misleading forms of advertising.
For imports from (or exports to) nations outside the EU, delicate localisation and contextualisation work is required which takes account of specific national laws. Example: regardless of the texts that make up the product label in the country of origin, in our country it is against the law to attribute precise therapeutic and/or curative properties to the product (even if its physiological and nutritional effects may be mentioned). By law, the label must indicate the name of the component substances, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and warnings regarding excessive use. It must also clearly state that the product is not a substitute for a balanced diet and contain the wording “Keep out of the reach of children”. This information is rarely provided through a straightforward translation of the source label, which often has to be carefully rewritten also in consultation with specialists from the production or distribution company. This is all necessary because before being marketed the product and its label must be presented to the Ministry of Health which, in turn, may request additional information or data to make its evaluation, or communicate changes or warnings that must be added to the label. Also in this phase it may be necessary to request further information from the foreign supplier and translate scientific material in order to help achieve the final goal: the approval of the supplement in question by the Ministry and its insertion on the official register.
In the case of phytotherapy supplements, the producer must use herbal ingredients of proven efficacy and recognised quality, purity and safety. For these reasons our linguists are often also asked to translate studies, articles and other bibliographical material relating to the substance or plant preparation in question.
Translations and transcreations for the marketing of dietary supplements
The Landoor work teams also guarantee impeccable translations and transcreations of all dietary supplement sales and promotional materials: brochures, product sheets, press releases, catalogues, adverts and marketing campaigns, articles and advertorials for magazines and blogs, SEO-oriented company websites and online stores, printed publications and e-books. The sectorial expertise of our translators and transcreators is also of fundamental importance in this case as the law makes no exceptions: natural and persuasive, adverts for dietary supplements must also emphasise the importance of following a suitable diet and taking exercise, urge consumers to carefully read the warnings, and underline the impossibility of excluding potential undesirable side effects.
At Landoor we also have extensive previous experience of working alongside businesses that supply distributors, pharmacists, drugstores and other healthcare operators with training courses centred on the characteristics of supplements and their possible applications for the healthcare of patients. We have been localising educational materials (presentations with slides and other multimedia content for which we also provide dubbing and voiceovers) for the e-learning platforms of major businesses in the sector for some time.
Finally, our customers know they can entrust our best interpreters with linguistic mediation activities for in-person or online training seminars involving foreign lecturers, and our linguistic mediators for trade shows, in complete tranquillity.