The landscape of hepatology changed significantly with the “Multisociety Delphi Consensus Statement on New Nomenclature for Steatotic Liver Disease” (2023). For decades, the terms Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (μη αλκοολική λιπώδης νόσος του ήπατος) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (μη αλκοολική στεατοηπατίτιδα) were the gold standard. Today, they are obsolete. For companies entering the Greek healthcare market, using outdated terminology in clinical protocols or patient IFUs isn’t just a linguistic error—it’s a sign of clinical irrelevance.

What has Changed? The Shift to MASLD and MASH

The transition to Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) (μεταβολικά σχετιζόμενη στεατωτική νόσος του ήπατος) and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH) (μεταβολικά σχετιζόμενη στεατοηπατίτιδα) is more than a name change. It is a shift toward affirmative, non-stigmatizing, and pathophysiology-based diagnosis. Ιn the Greek medical community, adopting the new nomenclature reflects an alignment with global standards (AASLD, EASL).

The MD Insight: Why “Word-for-Word” Fails Here

Translation in hepatology requires an understanding of the Delphi process. A generalist translator might see “Steatotic” and “Fatty” as synonyms. However, “Fatty” was rejected specifically because of its stigmatizing nature in patient-facing materials. Precise translation of medical terminology is essential for regulatory approval by the EOF (Greek National Organization for Medicines).

Precision in nomenclature saves time in regulatory review. If your clinical trial documentation still references NAFLD, it’s time for a clinical audit.

Contact me for expert English-to-Greek medical translation that reflects the latest global consensus.

References:

  1. A multisociety Delphi consensus statement on new fatty liver disease nomenclature
  2. From NAFLD to MASLD: updated naming and diagnosis criteria for fatty liver disease
  3. From NAFLD to MASLD: transforming steatotic liver disease diagnosis and management
  4. Κατευθυντήριες Οδηγίες της Ελληνικής Εταιρείας Μελέτης Ήπατος σε συνεργασία με την Ελληνική Διαβητολογική Εταιρεία και την Ελληνική Ιατρική Εταιρεία Παχυσαρκίας για τη Διάγνωση και Αντιμετώπιση της Μη Αλκοολικής Λιπώδους Νόσου του Ήπατος