FACITtrans History
OVER 25 YEARS OF METHODOLOGICALLY RIGOROUS COA TRANSLATIONS
Today
Deep Scientific Roots and Cutting Edge Knowledge
Quality and processes are our strength. Flexible, creative solutions are our calling card.
As lead authors to the ISOQOL AI in COA translation guidance and numerous other publications, we are uniquely placed in the crossroads of technological advances and scientific rigor.
While most of our work is for the pharmaceutical industry, we regularly partner with leading academic research groups including the Medical Social Services program at Northwestern University which was founded by our very own Dr. Cella.
2024
Reinforcing Our Global Reach
Vendor management expansion to meet demand and reinforce our global reach throughout Africa, India, LATAM, US, and Europe for translation, in-trial interviews and more.
2023
Savic L., Arnold B., Baily A., Mackey DJ., Olaiya P. Translation and Linguistic Validation of the EXACT for Use with COPD Patients in African Countries. Presented at ISOQOL Calgary, October 2023.
ISOQOL Poster of the Year
In-trial interviews (qualitative, native-language interviews embedded in clinical trials) become a fixed part of our growing service offerings. Not only do we carry out the interviews, but we transcribe and translate them. Clients love our openness to new areas and our constant eye on quality and processes in any area we enter.
2022
In-Trial Research Services
2022
European Team Expansion to
Meet Increased Demand
2021
C-Path Selects FACITtrans as Their Preferred Translation Vendor
2021-2023
Thought Leadership in Action
Our Executive Director, Emily Parks-Vernizzi, served as ISOQOL’s TCA-SIG Co-Chair and is currently a member of the TCA-SIG Steering Committee and the Digital Health and eCOA SIG
ISO
2021
FACITtrans Earns ISO 17100:2015 Certification
Building off our ISO 9001:2015 certification, we placed our translation and processes under additional scrutiny to earn our ISO 17100:2015 certification, further reinforcing our commitment to the patients’ voice through our high-quality COA translation and linguistic validation process.
We are proud to receive significant auditor praise for our processes at every surveillance and recertification audit.
2020
JPRO Paper of the Year
Our president, Benjamin Arnold, co-authors JPRO paper of the year, “Good practices for the translation, cultural adaptation, and linguistic validation of clinician-reported outcome, observer-reported outcome, and performance outcome measures”.
FDA cites this article in their guidance to help clinical trial sponsors select, use, and optimize clinical outcome assessments (COAs) in their trials.
McKown S, Acquadro C, Anfray C, Arnold B, Eremenco S, Giroudet C, Martin M, Weiss D. Good practices for the translation, cultural adaptation, and linguistic validation of clinician-reported outcome, observer-reported outcome, and performance outcome measures. J Patient Rep Outcomes 4, 89 (2020).
https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-020-00248-z
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Patient-Focused Drug Development: Selecting, Developing, or Modifying Fit-for-Purpose Clinical Outcome Assessments; Guidance for Industry, Food and Drug Administration Staff, and Other Stakeholders. FDA-2022-D-1385. U.S. Food and Drug Administration; October 2025.
ISO
2017
FACITtrans Earns ISO 9001:2015 Certification
Quality processes have always been central to our work, which is why our group co-authored the 2005 ISPOR translations guidelines. Our ISO 9001:2015 certification in quality management underscores our commitment to our clients, research collaborators, and patients.
2016-2018
Thought Leadership in Action
Our President, Benjamin Arnold, served as ISOQOL’s Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation - Special Interest Group (TCA-SIG) Co-Chair, and is currently a member of the TCA-SIG Steering Committee.
2012
eCOA Early Adapters
The FACIT measurement system is a forerunner of eCOA adaptation/localization. FACIT Group establishes close ties with leading eCOA developers.
2009
FACITtrans is Born
The translation and formatting team formerly part of The Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CORE) becomes FACITtrans, a boutique language service provider under the scientific direction of Dr. Cella, with close connections to the outcomes scientists at Northwestern’s Department of Medical Social Sciences.
2005
Industry Cornerstone
Our translation group co-authors the landmark ISPOR translation and cultural adaptation guidelines that are now accepted as industry standard.
Wild, D., Grove, A., Martin, M., Eremenco, S., McElroy, S., Verjee-Lorenz, A. and Erikson, P. (2005), Principles of Good Practice for the Translation and Cultural Adaptation Process for Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) Measures: Report of the ISPOR Task Force for Translation and Cultural Adaptation. Value in Health, 8: 94-104. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1524-4733.2005.04054.x
2005
The Translation Group Publishes Universal Translation Article, Causes a Stir
The translation group publishes the first-ever article to promote the universal approach to COA translation, which 20 years later is still considered methodologically novel.
Eremenco S., Arnold B., Cella D. A comprehensive method for the translation and cross-cultural validation of health status questionnaires. Evaluation & the Health Professions 2005; 28(2): 212-232.
2004
Leading the Way with PROMIS
FACITtrans develops first-ever PROMIS translations into Spanish and authors the definitive concept definitions for PROMIS.
Arnold B., Correia H., Cella D. Translation of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System into Spanish. Poster presentation at the 14th Annual International Meeting of the International Society for
Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, Orlando, FL, 2009.
1996
The FACIT Translation Methodology Is Official
Bonomi, A.E., Cella, D.F., Hahn, E.A., Bjordal, K., Sperner, B., Gangeri, L., Bergman, B., Willems, J., Hanquet, P., & Zittoun, R. Multilingual translation of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) quality of life measurement system. Quality of Life Research 1996; 5: 309-320.
1994
Clinicians Request the FACT-G in Spanish
Our translation group is born, with equivalence and quality at the forefront of our work.
FACITtrans is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17100:2015 certified.
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