“LANGUAGE, TECHNOLOGY, AND PATIENT SAFETY: EXPLORING MEDICAL ENGLISH, PHARMACY LITERACY, AND AI IN MULTILINGUAL DUHOK”

The globalization of healthcare and pharmaceutical markets has made English the dominant language of medicine. From drug labels and clinical documentation to international guidelines, medical English forms a cornerstone of modern pharmacy practice. In multilingual regions such as Duhok, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, this reliance on English creates both opportunities and challenges. Patients often encounter medicines whose names are derived from English or Latinized forms, yet many lack the linguistic skills to recognize or pronounce them correctly. This mismatch risks miscommunication, medication errors, and overreliance on pharmacists. This paper explores the intersection of medical English, pharmacy literacy, and artificial intelligence (AI) as applied to Duhok’s healthcare context. It investigates how patients and pharmacists engage with English-based medicine names, the prevalence of misunderstandings, and the potential of AI-driven tools to support recognition, pronunciation, and safe usage. Drawing on regional studies, international literature, and simulated survey data, the paper highlights three themes: (1) partial patient familiarity with English medicine names, (2) pharmacists’ central role as interpreters and mediators, and (3) emerging but uneven use of AI-enabled translation and drug information applications. Four simulated charts present findings on patient recognition of drug names, pharmacist attitudes toward medical English, adoption of AI tools, and common errors in drug name usage. The study concludes that embedding medical English training in pharmacy curricula, providing AI-based resources, and fostering public awareness can significantly improve pharmaceutical literacy and reduce risks.