After more than 10 years of discussions with experts and patients around the world, PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) has been renamed PMOS (polycystic endocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome) by a global science group.
The new name was announced at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague after 14 years of work involving doctors, researchers, patients, and health advocates. The change was later published in The Lancet. The decision was made with support from 56 major medical and patient organizations, along with surveys involving more than 14,300 people with PCOS and healthcare professionals from around the world.
"The term polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has long been recognized as inaccurate and potentially harmful," writes the team behind the initiative, led by Verity, a UK-based charity, Australia's Monash University, and the international organization Androgen Excess and PCOS Society. "The current name reflects only one organ and fails to capture the disorder's multisystem nature."
Experts said the old name, PCOS, was misleading because it focused only on ovarian cysts, even though the condition affects many hormone and metabolic functions in the body. This confusion often causes delayed diagnosis, incomplete treatment, stigma, and limited research.
Research later showed that the condition is mainly caused by hormone imbalance, especially involving insulin and androgen hormones. These imbalances can affect many parts of the body, including metabolism, mental health, skin, and reproductive health, and can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. However, the old name PCOS still made many people think it was only a gynecological problem, even though it affects the whole body.
"This change has global implications for health-care systems, policy, and research, and for advancing understanding and treatment of the condition," the health policy authors stated. "Transition to the new name will occur over 3 years, supported by a multifaceted implementation strategy. Overall goals include greater awareness, enhanced diagnosis, improved care quality and patient satisfaction, and optimized outcomes across the broad features of the condition. The transition is underpinned by a global implementation and embedded evaluation strategy."
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