Prescription Labels Millions of Patients Can’t Read: RxTran Data Shows Surging Demand for Translated Directions
Washington state becomes fifth state to mandate prescription translation, RxTran urges pharmacies to move now rather than wait; CEO Sharon Blank meets with press at NACDS 2026
Washington will require pharmacies to provide translated prescription directions upon request starting Jan. 22, 2027, making it the fifth state to adopt prescription language access requirements for patients with limited English proficiency.
The rule requires pharmacies to provide written medication instructions in a patient’s requested language and display information about translation services in the state’s 10 most common languages.
RxTran reports growing demand for translated prescription labels across the U.S., with strong increases in requests for languages including Farsi, Vietnamese, Pashto and Burmese. The company says the trend highlights the need for pharmacies to improve language access before additional states adopt similar regulations.
Research has linked limited English proficiency with poorer medication adherence and higher hospital readmission rates, making multilingual prescription instructions an increasingly important patient safety initiative.
Source: RxTran / Language Scientific
