You have a medical or pharmaceutical document written in Japanese. You need it translated into English. You want a professional, reliable, economical translation. You wonder whether to work with a translation agency or an individual, and whether you should be concerned about the native language and subject-specific knowledge of the translator.
A reputable translation company will have a working relationship with a number of experienced medical and pharmaceutical freelance translators, and may also provide editing and DTP services. A translation company is a particularly good choice if you have a single small document, or a very large project with a short turnaround time. One disadvantage is that the pool of experienced medical and pharmaceutical translators from Japanese to English is relatively small, and if you have an ongoing project your favorite translator may not always be available.
An experienced professional translator specializing in your field is a particularly good choice if you have an ongoing project where consistent terminology and writing style are important. By working with one translator, you can build a long-term partnership. Your translator will work with you to build up a terminology database, and also to make sure that the English is well-written and accurately portrays the reliability of the original research. This is especially important if you are submitting articles for publication or in some other context where it is important to convey the quality of scholarship. By working directly with the translator, you are assured that the same person does your translations each time. It can also be somewhat less expensive, although the best translators will charge only slightly less than a good agency.
Personal referrals are probably the most reliable way to find a translation company or freelancer that will work well for you. The American Translators Association also provides a list of accredited translators and corporate members. Whether you decide to use a translation company or a freelancer, spend some time discussing the project to make sure that you have a good fit. Remember, the people who do your translation are going to play a significant role in the impression that your data makes.