On Monday, May 12, 2026, an international panel of experts dubbed the Global Name Change Consortium announced — via a health policy paper published in The Lancet — the official name change of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).
Previously, doctors would diagnose the condition formerly known as PCOS based on the presence of fluid-filled cysts on a person’s ovaries.
This condition is also characterized by irregular periods and unusual hair growth due to hormonal imbalances.
By shifting the name of the condition to focus on its metabolic implications, rather than the presence of ovarian cysts, and through the health policy changes outlined in the Lancet paper, the global expert panel is now aiming to emphasize the true systemic impact of this condition.
Getting from PCOS to PMOS took no less than 14 years involving multidisciplinary expert consultations as well as surveys conducted with a total of 14,360 participants who had received a diagnosis.
The new name will be adopted globally over a 3-year transition period, with experts expecting that this process will be completed in 2028.
Through this name change, experts acknowledge that this reproductive system condition does not always present as expected — that is, it does not always involve the formation of ovarian cysts — and it affects more than just the reproductive organs, as it can impact hormone production, weight, a person’s skin, their metabolic health, as well as mental health.
“What we now know is that there is actually no increase in abnormal cysts on the ovary, and the diverse features of the condition were often unappreciated,” said one of the lead experts involved in the name-change process, Helena Teede, FRCOG, FRANZCOG, MBBS, PhD, Director of the Monash Centre for Health Research & Implementation at Monash University in Australia, in a press release.
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Speaking to Medical News Today, Sameena Rahman, MD, board-certified ob-gyn, sex-med gynecologist, and menopause specialist, who was not part of the name-change panel, said she was thrilled about this change.
“This name change has been a long time in the making,” Rahman told us. She explained that “the previous name, PCOS, was both misleading and incomplete because it focused narrowly on ovarian cysts, which are not present in every patient and are not the root cause of the condition.”
“The updated terminology better reflects the true scope of the syndrome as a whole-body condition driven by insulin resistance, hormonal imbalance, and inflammation. It also helps destigmatize the diagnosis and shifts the conversation beyond reproductive health alone, recognizing that this is a complex metabolic and endocrine condition that affects multiple systems throughout the body.”
– Sameena Rahman, MD
Rahman further explained that, when it comes to the name change, “the term ‘metabolic’ is now being prioritized because this condition affects far more than reproductive health.”
“It involves multiple hormones, particularly insulin and androgens, and can impact the entire body,” she noted.
People affected by PMOS “are at increased risk for cardiometabolic complications, such as insulin resistance, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease,” she stressed.
The experts in charge of the name change are also hoping that by shifting the focus in such a way as to emphasize that PMOS is a complex health condition, there will be fewer delayed diagnoses in the future, as well as care that is fully personalized.
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Historical data suggests that many have not received a diagnosis for their condition until they sought fertility treatment, as the complexity of symptoms has often led to misdiagnoses, or contradictory diagnoses from different healthcare professionals.
“It was heart-breaking to see the delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and inadequate care afforded those affected by this neglected condition,” Teede noted in the press release.
“The agreed principles of the new name included patient benefit, scientific accuracy, ease of communication, avoidance of stigma, cultural appropriateness and accompanying implementation. This change was driven with and for those affected by the condition and we are proud to have arrived at a new name that finally accurately reflects the complexity of the condition. Make no mistake, this is a landmark moment that will lead to desperately needed worldwide advancements in clinical practice and research.”
– Helena Teede, FRCOG, FRANZCOG, MBBS, PhD
Rahman shared this hope, and emphasized that, “importantly, the updated terminology encourages clinicians and patients to view this as a lifelong metabolic and inflammatory condition — not simply a gynecologic issue.”
“That broader understanding can lead to earlier intervention and a stronger focus on preventing long-term cardiometabolic complications [associated with this condition] such as heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions,” she told us.
