[Lost in translation - the role of medical certificates in Swedish asylum decisions].

Medical certificates for the Swedish Migration Agency are vital documents to prove injuries or illnesses claimed in the asylum process. Our purpose is to provide guidance on the legal bases for the use of medical evidence in the asylum process. To illustrate, we give examples from our study of 74 decisions with medical certificates. Cases were identified from a random sample of 500 files from 590 000 asylum decisions made by the Swedish Migration Agency 2006-2022. Medical certificates were not unanimously taken into account in decisions. For high evidentiary value, the certificates should demonstrate the physician's competence, be based on verifiable sources and include a detailed prognosis and the effects of not receiving adequate treatment. Importantly, certificates can also be used to undermine the patient's trustworthiness if the certificate fails to prove or contradicts claims made by the applicant.