Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) affects more than 170 million women globally. For decades, physicians, and scientists used the term "polycystic ovary syndrome" (PCOS) to describe the condition. However, according to the authors of a recent Lancet Health Policy paper, this is misleading:

“The former name implied the presence of pathological ovarian cysts, which are not a feature of the condition, while ignoring its true nature as a polyendocrine and metabolic disorder with multisystem consequences,” says Elisabet Stener-Victorin, Professor at Karolinska Institutet and part of the Global Name Change Consortium.

The paper argues that the term PCOS has contributed to misunderstanding among patients, clinicians, researchers and policy makers. 

Why the name matters 

Prof. Stener-Victorin emphasises that the name change is not simply a matter of wording: “Correcting the name to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) is not a rebranding exercise; it is a scientific correction expected to realign research, funding, clinical responsibility, and ultimately, patient outcomes.” 

The consequences of an incorrect name are not only semantic. The authors note that delayed diagnosis, knowledge gaps and dissatisfaction with care remain common. Up to 70 % of affected women may remain undiagnosed.

Stener-Victorin sees this as one of the major reasons why the change was needed: “This mislabelling had measurable effects: By framing the condition as gynaecological, it diverted policymakers, researchers, and funders from its endocrine, metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological aspects,” she says. With the new name, clinical expectations arise: “A condition called ‘polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome’ is far more likely to prompt a general practitioner to check blood glucose, blood pressure, and liver function at diagnosis and throughout life than one historically perceived as a reproductive issue confined to the ovary,“ says Stener-Victorin. 

A global consensus process 

The name change followed a structured global process involving people living with the condition, patient organisations, health professionals, and professional societies:

“The renaming process was designed to be the most rigorous and inclusive medical renaming initiative to date, building on a clear international mandate for change established through previous global surveys and workshops,” emphasises Stener-Victorin. “The initiative was led by three organisations: Monash University's Centre for Research Excellence in Women's Health in Reproductive Life (Melbourne, Australia), the Androgen Excess and PCOS Society, and Verity, a UK patient charity that led the renewed effort in 2023.” 

The process included modified Delphi surveys, nominal group workshops, marketing and communication analysis, and implementation planning. Building on 7,708 previous survey responses, two further global surveys generated 14,360 responses from 10,411 patients and 3,949 health professionals. Workshops were held in November 2025 and February 2026, with participants from all world regions. 

Importantly, the process was not limited to expert opinion.

“People living with the condition were not consulted as an afterthought but served as co-leaders at every stage, from governance and survey design to workshop facilitation and dissemination, because their lived experience is irreplaceable and their voices had too often been insufficiently heard,” Stener-Victorin explains. 

Why “polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome”? 

The consensus process prioritised scientific accuracy, clarity, avoidance of stigma, cultural and linguistic appropriateness, and feasibility of implementation. Participants favoured an accurate, symptom-based name over a generic name or a name that retained the PCOS acronym with different terms. 

The final name reflects three core aspects of the condition: 

• “Polyendocrine” captures the involvement of multiple endocrine pathways, including androgen excess, insulin resistance and neuroendocrine disturbances. 

• “Metabolic” recognises the central role of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk. 

• “Ovarian” acknowledges ovarian dysfunction, including disturbances in folliculogenesis and ovulatory function, without implying pathological cysts. 

The metabolic component is particularly important for clinical care. Insulin resistance is reported to affect 85 % of people with PMOS, including 75 % of lean women with the condition. Cardiometabolic complications, including impaired glucose tolerance, gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, hypertension, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and vascular dysfunction, are also increased. 

“By embedding the word ‘metabolic’ directly into the condition's name, PMOS signals to every clinician who encounters the diagnosis – not just gynaecologists, but also general practitioners, cardiologists, endocrinologists, and hepatologists – that insulin resistance, cardiometabolic risk, and systemic screening are inherent responsibilities of care, not optional add-ons,” says Stener-Victorin.  

Implementation over three years 

The authors emphasise that the name change will require careful implementation. A managed three-year transition period is planned, supported by multilingual resources for patients and health professionals, communication toolkits, integration into electronic health records, alignment with research and funding systems, engagement with WHO and disease classification systems, including ICD, and integration into the next International Guideline update in 2028. 

This is likely to be challenging:

“The most significant barrier is systemic inertia across the infrastructure that supports medicine: electronic health records, disease classification codes, medical education curricula, journal indexing, and research funding categories all currently use ‘PCOS’,” says Stener-Victorin. 

Language and culture are also important. The authors note that careful translation is needed, especially in regions where reproductive terminology may carry social stigma.  

Despite these barriers, the authors present the name change as a step toward more accurate diagnosis, clearer clinical responsibility and improved patient experience.  

Key Points: 

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) following a global consensus process. 

• The former name was considered misleading because pathological ovarian cysts are not a feature of the condition and because it did not reflect the disorder’s endocrine, metabolic and multisystem features. 

• The new name highlights multiple endocrine disturbances, metabolic risk and ovarian dysfunction, and is intended to support broader clinical responsibility beyond gynaecology. 

• The consensus process involved 56 organisations, more than 14,000 new survey responses, global workshops, patient involvement, marketing analysis and implementation planning.
• A three-year transition period is planned, including education, multilingual resources, health-system alignment, ICD engagement and integration into the 2028 International Guideline update. 

Read the original publication here.

Author: Simone Peter-Ivkić, MSc. Any opinions expressed in this article are the responsibility of EASD e-Learning.