What You Need to Know About Mapi Translation and Mapi Language Services

If you’re looking to translate surveys and questionnaires for clinical trials, then you may have heard about the Mapi translation methodology. Over the years this workflow earned a reputation for quality and rigor, but to be frank, its time has passed. Chances are that today your surveys and questionnaires would be better served by other workflows. Ones that provide you with linguistically valid and conceptually equivalent translations, and results that are equal or superior to Mapi methodology translations, but at a fraction of the cost.

Where the Original Methodology Came From

The Mapi translation workflow was the work of Mapi Group, a contract research organization (CRO) based in France, which was also known for their clinical trial translation for pharmaceutical companies. Their Mapi Research Institute promoted the methodology, while their Mapi Language Services offered commercial translation services to companies to implement the workflow. But that came to an end in 2017.

Rival CRO ICON plc, based in Ireland, acquired Mapi Group. Mapi’s language services division was folded into ICON’s and their large database of COAs and COA translations was allowed to live on as Mapi Research Trust.

What Is in a Mapi Translation Workflow?

The translation steps for the Mapi methodology typically include:

1. Conceptual analysis: Each item or concept in the source instrument is investigated and defined so that it may be accurately translated into the target language.
2. Forward translation: One translator produces the first forward translation while another translator independently produces a second one.
3. Consensus: The two translators, together with the project manager, reconcile the two translations and create a second version.
4. Quality control: The translation is reviewed and modifications are made as necessary.
5. Back translation: A third translator back translates the translation into English. The original instrument and back translation are reviewed, and modifications are made as necessary.
6. Clinician’s review: A clinician in the target country gathers feedback from relevant experts.
7. Cognitive debriefing: The second version is pilot tested using subjects representative of the target population.
8. Third version: A third version is created based on the clinician’s review and the cognitive debriefing.
9. Harmonization: This is done when the source instrument is translated into multiple languages. Translations are compared across different languages to create a fourth version in each language.
10. Proofreading: Two rounds of proofreading are performed.

As you know, not all subjects, questionnaires, compliance requirements and budgets are the same. So why would your translation workflow be the same?

Mapi Alternatives

The Mapi translation methodology isn’t the only way, or even the best way, to effectively translate surveys and questionnaires for clinical trials. In fact, Mapi’s own research revealed that there is no one superior method. Katrin Conway and Mapi simply concluded that a multi-step process is the only recipe for translation success.

One salient feature of the Mapi approach is the use of back translation. The advantage of using back translation is that it allows monolingual reviewers to participate in the translation process, but that’s not necessary. Back translation can squander resources if it’s not a compliance requirement. Using an iterative method, such as one recommended by Responsive Translation, provides a higher level of quality assurance.

A Tailored Approach

Scientific knowledge evolves and so does translation. Responsive Translation uses the latest international standards, together with ISO-certified processes, to offer linguistically valid and conceptually equivalent translations and validations with individually-customized workflows and defensible processes that will meet or exceed your Institutional Review Board and stakeholder requirements. And, of course, stay within your budget.

Would you like to know more? Please get in touch at 646-847-3309 or [email protected].