The ethics of medical translation

Abstract

Much has been written about the ethics of medical interpreting, but not so much about purely written translation. What moral principles apply (or should apply) when I translate a document for a client? Do I need to invent these principles myself, or is there help available? In this article I explore the personal moral principles we might apply to our work, and the institutional backup that is available, for instance the Institute of Translation and Interpreting’s Code of Conduct. I explore what a code of ethics for medical translators might look like.