Lost in translation: a caution against using automated and commercial translation services for medical communications
Sanita Sandhu, Niki Kouvroukoglou, Marina Campodonico, Felicity Vidya Mehendale · BMJ Global Health · 2022
Harelip’ is a derogatory term to describe individuals with cleft lip +/− and can contribute to ongoing stigma surrounding this condition. Automated translation services and human translators may be unaware of medically offensive terms. Thus, checking any documents by a native speaker with knowledge of the clinical field is essential. As medical terminology evolves, medical societies should publish a list of appropriate as well as outdated terms, to avoid causing offence and distress in medical communications.