Specialised GMP translators and pharmaceutical interpreters are used for GMP inspections by foreign regulatory authorities. During the GMP inspection, conversational / liaison interpreting skills are required to ensure perfect communication between GMP inspectors and site staff.

How does professional conversational / liaison interpreting work, e.g. during GMP inspections? – definition and meaning

Definition: As the name suggests, conversational interpreting (also known as liaison interpreting) is used in conversational situations, whereby relatively short sections of text are reproduced in another language with a slight delay. The interpreting process causes a delay, but the character of the conversation is clearly retained. However, the respective client, for example a German pharmaceutical manufacturer undergoing a Russian GMP inspection, must bear in mind that interpreting between German and Russian takes time. After all, every contribution from a dialogue participant must first be translated into the respective foreign language before the next person can take their turn. Generally, sections of three to five sentences are interpreted immediately afterwards. An excellent memory is one of the basic requirements for a trained pharmaceutical interpreter. In addition, unlike with conventional consecutive interpreting, the interpreting is done in two language directions and the interpreter usually does not take notes of the conversation. For highly complex and very specialised discussions, which are par for the course at a GMP inspection, the pharmaceutical interpreters should be provided with preparatory materials where possible. Translations of pharmaceutical documents are also often required in advance of the GMP inspection. In order to create a pleasant atmosphere for discussions between site employees and Russian GMP inspectors, it is also important to ensure that the interpreter speaks clearly and distinctly and is sufficiently visible.

What qualifications are required for conversational / liaison interpreters in the pharmaceutical sector?

The basic requirement for professional conversational interpreters is that they have a perfect command of both working languages (in our case Russian and German) and a very good command of English. Otherwise, communication between the employees of the German pharmaceutical manufacturer and the Russian GMP inspectors cannot succeed. Other types of communication, such as body language, must also be recognised and, if necessary, reproduced. Even if the mood is tense, for example if the GMP inspectors are dissatisfied with the information provided by employees, the interpreter must remain calm and convey the content of what has been said in the foreign language as neutrally as possible. Special attention is also paid to the cultural differences between the conversation partners and to correctly understanding their relationship to one another. Preparation for the GMP inspection includes detailed familiarisation with the complex pharmaceutical subject matter, including the relevant specialist terminology in German and Russian, and professional coordination with the customer. As part of the preparations, pharmaceutical translations in advance of Russian GMP inspections should also be commissioned in good time so that they can be completed before the inspection. It is worthwhile for pharmaceutical manufacturers to pay attention to the qualifications, expertise and experience of the pharmaceutical interpreters in order to create the best possible framework conditions for passing the GMP inspection.

Why are qualified conversational / liaison interpreters the first choice for GMP inspections?

Important meetings with a limited number of participants are the usual field of application for qualified conversational / liaison interpreters. This may involve meetings with confidential content, contract negotiations or discussions with business partners if the participants speak different native languages. In the pharmaceutical sector, conversational interpreters are mainly used for foreign GMP inspections, supplier and customer audits. This is the case, for example, when a pharmaceutical manufacturer from Germany, Austria or Switzerland wants to launch a drug on the market in Russia or in one of the EAEU countries. A prerequisite for the authorisation of the drug is a successful GMP inspection by the Russian authority SID&GP (for human drugs) or VGNKI (animal health). Their GMP inspectors check the site in question for compliance with the GMP regulations applicable in the EAEU. As a rule, a manageable number of people are involved in communication during a GMP inspection. This is why conversational interpreters are used more often than simultaneous interpreters. However, specialised, experienced and qualified pharmaceutical interpreters are proficient in both techniques.

What makes conversational / liaison interpreting for GMP inspections more attractive than simultaneous interpreting?

Unlike simultaneous conference interpreting, liaison interpreting does not require any conference technology such as interpreting booths or mobile interpreting equipment. Also, due to the small group of people involved and the limitation to two working languages, only 1 - 3 pharmaceutical interpreters (depending on the number of inspectors) are usually needed for GMP inspections. If necessary, simultaneous whispered interpreting can also be used in addition to conversational interpreting. In this case, the interpreter stands next to the GMP inspector and a little further away from the speaking employee of the inspected site and interprets what the employee in question is saying simultaneously and so quietly that it is only understandable to the GMP inspector.

The disadvantage of conversational / liaison interpreting is the longer speaking time, which also means that a GMP inspection takes longer overall. Simultaneous interpreting is preferable if there are more than two working languages. In everyday GMP work, however, interpretation is generally only provided in two languages.

We hope that this introduction to conversational / liaison interpreting has given you an interesting insight into our day-to-day work. Our highly trained, experienced and qualified pharmaceutical interpreters are available to you in German, Russian and English. We will soon be introducing you to other types of interpreting in our GMP translators' and interpreters' blog.

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