Yuko
Bronze
I was 1dering
Posts: 58
|
Post by Yuko on Apr 30, 2009 22:35:25 GMT
My new question...
I was in a situation the other day when I needed to translate a comment into a short text in English. The comment was coming from a circumstance where: A reagent is used at a lab and their researchers find the reagent becomes out of date too quickly.
Direct phrase of the comment was something like: "Validation period is too short."
What I understand about "validation period" is that it is used for documentations or services - insurances or certificates for example - rather than physical products, so I didn't do a direct translation.
What I came up with was: Use by date is too short.
And I'm not sure about the text now, for two reasons: - Can "use by date" be used for medical products? Will it be "expiration date" instead? - Can either "use by date" or "expiration date" be short/long?
I've found the statement "the expiration date is too short" on the net but as I think about it, "the expiration date" is a date and not a period, therefore can't be described by its "length"...?
Sorry about my long-winded question but point is:
What would be the best equivalent words of "Validation period is too short" for medical products?
Thank you for your help.
|
|
|
Post by Dr Mildr on May 1, 2009 7:34:27 GMT
How about "Shelf life is too short"?
|
|
Yuko
Bronze
I was 1dering
Posts: 58
|
Post by Yuko on May 2, 2009 21:43:02 GMT
Thanks for the suggestion, Dr Mildr I had heard of "shelf life" when I posted my question but I had an image of the words as used at supermarkets etc., places actually selling products... I've just looked up "shelf life" and found this on Wikipedia: "Shelf life is different from expiration date; the former relates to food quality, the latter to food safety." The article mentions "medicine" as applicable product, and I reckon reagents require "quality" rather than "safety" (unless someone swallow them ), "shelf life" sounds appropriate. One thing has been solved and here comes another Since "medicine" has been mentioned... what would you say, looking at safety, of a medicine's (or food's or drink's) expiration date being earlier than expectated expected, in a simple term?
|
|
|
Post by Geoff on May 2, 2009 23:49:38 GMT
I'm having trouble understanding what you mean. Surely the expiration date is a date determined at the time of manufacture, is dependent on the particular product and is stamped on the product/packaging. What then do you mean by earlier than expected? Earlier than what? Expected by whom?
|
|
Yuko
Bronze
I was 1dering
Posts: 58
|
Post by Yuko on May 3, 2009 21:32:47 GMT
Oh... thanks for asking, Geoff, I can see by myself that my question doesn't make sense very well, not only because of " expectated" Let me try again... I asked the question by going back to my first post (the top on this page) - To relate my two posts: expiration date being earlier than expected = becomes out of date too quickly To answer your question: Earlier than what? = expiration date that was expected or desired by users Expected by whom? = users Since the comment in my native language, mentioned above something like: "Validation period is too short" can be used for medicine, food or drink (in my language); I wondered what you would say that in English. And I'm asking this based on the following: -"Validation period" is not suitable words for medicine, food or drink (if my understanding is right). -"Shelf life" relates to quality (according to Wiki). -"Expiration date" relates to safety (ditto). -I'm looking at "safety". -"Expiration date" can't be "short" or "long". So... after a long question (again ), summary would be: In term of quality aspect: " Shelf life is too short". In term of safety aspect: ??Hope I managed to make it clearer (God knows...)
|
|
|
Post by Dave on May 3, 2009 23:08:31 GMT
I think validation period is just the wrong term, even if it somehow got translated that way. I think that a validation period is the period of time that something (or someone?) is being validated or checked out to be true or effective. The shelf life of a product, whether it's medicine, food, drink, chemicals (like your reagent), or other products (like an elastomeric (rubber) gasket), is the length of time following production that it remains effective or safe to use. The expiration date is the date of the last day of the shelf life. We (here in the US) have on many of our food and drink products a sell by date when the grocer should remove them from the shelf and/or a use by or best if used by date which acts as a guide to the consumer in his home. Medicines have an expiration date. I'm of the opinion that many of these are set shorter/earlier than they need to be, but the manufacturer (and his lawyer), encouraged or mandated by the government, play it safe. Shelf life often is related to how the product is stored including conditions of temperature, humidity, light, radiation, etc. In the case of your reagent, perhaps what is meant is that it doesn't last as long as the lab people want it to. So, "the shelf life is too short" or "the expiration date is earlier than desired (or required)" may be what you're looking for. A solution may be to purchase smaller quantities of the reagent more often and rotate the stock.
|
|
Yuko
Bronze
I was 1dering
Posts: 58
|
Post by Yuko on May 4, 2009 21:28:39 GMT
I see... "Validation period" means not what I thought it meant (another lesson!). "The term of validity" may be closer...? (but this is not important.) And yes, what I was looking for does mean: I was hoping to find a simpler term (short text) like "shelf life is too short" but well... sometimes an expression in one language just can't be translated into English without an nuance... and vice-versa As for a solution... I am not in a position to give them one but I do agree with yours Dave
|
|
|
Post by Paul Doherty on May 5, 2009 11:43:22 GMT
What about "Validity period is too short" or "Useful life is too short"?
(And, to further confuse, Americation products have an "Expiration date" but UK products would have an "Expiry date".)
|
|
Yuko
Bronze
I was 1dering
Posts: 58
|
Post by Yuko on May 5, 2009 20:17:19 GMT
Would the word "validity" be applicable for medicine, food or drink...? (or: medicines, foods or drinks...? ?)
|
|
|
Post by Paul Doherty on May 5, 2009 21:02:23 GMT
I think so, in the context of quasi-legal dates. After all, after the expiry date has passed the reagent might still be usable, even useful, might be active, and could (possibly) be calibrated or even (unlikely but just possible) validated.
I suppose another possibility would be "expires too soon" or "expires too quickly".
|
|
|
Post by Dave on May 6, 2009 6:33:36 GMT
I suppose another possibility would be "expires too soon" or "expires too quickly". To me, Paul, this sounds as though a longer useful life was expected (advertised?), but this particular batch didn't live up to expectations. This is in contrast to what is desired (or required) by the users.
|
|
Yuko
Bronze
I was 1dering
Posts: 58
|
Post by Yuko on May 7, 2009 21:58:41 GMT
After all, after the expiry date has passed the reagent might still be usable, even useful, might be active, and could (possibly) be calibrated or even (unlikely but just possible) validated. That was very interesting, Paul, to understand of course and particularly to read English! So much to learn from this forum ever since my Day 1
|
|
|
Post by Paul Doherty on May 9, 2009 18:36:57 GMT
To me, Paul, this sounds as though a longer useful life was expected (advertised?)... I think it would depend on context, Dave. It certainly could mean that, but if I said to someone "why didn't you like it?" and they said "it expired too soon", I'm not sure it would necessarily be my first interpretation.
|
|
|
Post by Marion on May 13, 2009 18:52:05 GMT
I used to work for Glaxo Pharmaceuticals and from the context I think I would have said "It has too short a shelf life" - a bit clumsy, but it conveys the correct meaning, I think.
|
|
|
Post by Tone on May 13, 2009 20:21:09 GMT
>I would have said "It has too short a shelf life" - a bit clumsy, but it conveys the correct meaning, I think. <
I think likewize! (A good way of expressing it.)
Or even, "its shelf-life is too short".
Tone
|
|