Growing Demand for Prescription Translation: Ensuring Patient Safety for Non-English Speakers

Rising Need for Prescription Translation

In recent years, the conversation around prescription translations has shifted from a mere compliance issue to an essential aspect of patient safety. According to RxTran, a division of Language Scientific, there is a skyrocketing demand for translated prescription directions, particularly among patients who do not speak English fluently. For many of these individuals, prescription labels often serve as their only means of understanding the medication they are prescribed. Unfortunately, millions of patients leave healthcare facilities without the ability to comprehend important dosage information, potentially jeopardizing their health.

With Washington State recently announcing that it will require pharmacies to translate prescription directions starting January 22, 2027, the movement for accessible prescription labels is gaining momentum across the nation. Washington becomes the fifth state to adopt such regulations, joining California, New York, Nevada, and Oregon, which already mandate prescription language access. This signifies an expanding acknowledgment of the critical need for multilingual support in healthcare environments.

The State of Language Access

According to a report from the Migration Policy Institute, nearly 29 million Hispanic and Latino residents in the U.S. report having limited English proficiency, representing about 9% of the population aged 5 and older. As a result, it is imperative that healthcare systems adapt to meet the needs of these patients. Under the terms of Washington’s new rule, pharmacies must provide written translations of prescription instructions whenever requested by patients, their prescribers, or their authorized representatives.

Interestingly, RxTran's data shows that Spanish remains the most requested language for translation services. However, there is a noteworthy increase in requests for less commonly spoken languages such as Farsi and Vietnamese, also known as LEP (Limited English Proficiency) languages. In particular, demand for Pashto translations has increased by approximately 60% year-over-year, while requests for Burmese prescriptions have surged over 300% between the first quarters of 2025 and 2026.

Such statistics indicate that the need for translation goes beyond simple legislation. The continuous growth of demand in states lacking mandates highlights that pharmacies should not wait for laws to enforce compliance; they should take immediate action to better serve their patients.

The Consequences of Inadequate Translation

Studies reveal that patients with limited English proficiency face significantly worse health outcomes than those fluent in English. In a review involving over 400,000 hospitalized adults, limited English proficient patients exhibited a startling 33% increase in readmission rates within a week compared to their English-speaking counterparts. This gap suggests a pressing need for thorough communication of medical instructions in a language that patients can understand. Federal regulations, particularly Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, underscore that machine translations of essential documents must be scrutinized by qualified human translators to ensure accuracy and clarity. Unfortunately, common machine translation tools fail to meet this standard.

Given that the Washington law hinges on patient requests, merely offering translations in a limited number of languages will not suffice. RxTran’s innovative Transduction technology connects pharmacy systems with a library containing over a million pre-translated directions in 26 languages. This library covers every required language according to existing state laws, ensuring pharmacies can achieve compliance efficiently. Moreover, each translation undergoes a rigorous five-step quality control process to verify its correctness.

Healthcare providers like Kristen Beiers-Jones, RN, MN, who is an expert on the implications of inaccurate label translations, argue for the urgent necessity of better communication tools for LEP populations. Beiers-Jones has seen first-hand the potential dangers when patients, misinformed about their medications due to language barriers, leave pharmacies believing they understand their prescriptions. Sometimes, they mistakenly assume they have received all the necessary information, setting the stage for adverse health effects.

A Call to Action

As awareness of LEP patient needs grows, RxTran will be showcasing its solutions at the NACDS Total Store Expo in Boston from August 15 to 17. CEO Sharon Blank is set to participate in discussions that emphasize the importance of prescription language access and patient safety. For pharmacies and healthcare providers, waiting for mandates is not an option. The time to act is now.

For further details on RxTran's services or to understand how they can support your pharmacy in enhancing patient safety, reach out via their website at www.rxtran.com. Here, you can find additional resources on improving language access within healthcare settings.