Global consensus renames PCOS to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS)

Following what the authors called an “unprecedented, rigorous, multistep global consensus process,” polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a new name¹:

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS).

The name change was published in The Lancet on May 12, 2026, where authors noted PCOS as a term was “inaccurate, implying pathological ovarian cysts, obscuring diverse endocrine and metabolic features, and contributing to delayed diagnosis, fragmented care, and stigma, while curtailing research and policy framing.”

The name change came as a result of the collaboration across 56 leading academic, clinical, and patient organizations, as well as iterative global surveys that garnered responses from over 14,300 people with PCOS and multidisciplinary health professionals “from all world regions,” the publication stated.

“We identified principles prioritising scientific accuracy, clarity, stigma avoidance, cultural appropriateness, and implementation feasibility,” wrote the authors of The Lancet publication. An accurate new name was prioritized over retaining the PCOS acronym or a generic name.”

Basis for PCOS name change

For decades, clinicians and patients have noted that the term "polycystic ovary syndrome" was a misnomer. The name suggested the presence of pathological ovarian cysts, which are not a feature of the condition; rather, the "cysts" seen on ultrasound are arrested follicles. Research has shown that this terminology led to significant diagnostic delays—affecting up to 70% of those with the condition—and fragmented care.

The new name, PMOS, was selected based on several scientific and clinical priorities:

• Polyendocrine: Recognizes that the condition is underpinned by multiple interacting hormonal disturbances, including insulin, androgens, and neuroendocrine hormones, rather than being an isolated ovarian disorder.
• Metabolic: Acknowledges the inherent metabolic features such as insulin resistance, obesity, and increased risks for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
• Ovarian: Retains the connection to ovarian dysfunction, including ovulatory disturbances and infertility, which remain defining features of the syndrome.

Implementing polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome

Presented and discussed in workshop breakout groups were co-designed implementation strategies. Feedback from the groups was collected in addition to live surveys to finalize the strategy. As a result, there were 8 stages developed for the implementation of the new PMOS name. They are as follows, as published in The Lancet.

Regarding the following implementation stages, the authors stated the strategy was “informed by considerations highlighted in survey responses, and was co-designed with consumers, marketing and implementation experts, and governance bodies (including health professional experts), and was based on implementation science frameworks.”

Stage 1: publication and academic dissemination

• Publication of this Health Policy, supported by accompanying commentaries, clinical reviews, editorial correspondence, and updates to textbooks and educational materials.

Stage 2: resource development

• Co-design of patient and health professional resources in multiple languages and for diverse platforms and delivery modes.

Stage 3: global communication and engagement

• Implementation of a structured communication strategy, including society toolkits, multilingual patient and clinician resources, multimedia dissemination, professional education programs, and coordinated events for patients and health professionals worldwide.

Stage 4: integration within health care and health information systems

• Incorporation of the new terminology into electronic health records, including within Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine—Clinical Terms, and engagement with major electronic medical record vendors and key stakeholders in health care provider education (eg, universities and textbook publishers).

Stage 5: policy and research alignment

• Engagement with governments, research funders, journal editors, regulators, and the health care industry (including the pharmaceutical industry), to support adoption across research classifications, publication processes, and funding systems.

Stage 6: international classification and global bodies

• Formal engagement with international bodies, including the World Health Organization, to progress integration into disease classification systems, including the ICD.

Stage 7: transition and future refinement

• A managed transition period of 3 years with monitoring and evaluation, consideration of emerging evidence on subtypes, and refinement of terminology as scientific understanding evolves.

Stage 8: guidelines

• Integration into the International Guideline, which is already used in 195 countries and will next be updated in 2028.

Improved awareness, diagnosis, and care with PMOS name

“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.”

Read the full health policy via The Lancet, here.

Reference:

Teede HJ, Khomami MB, Morman R, et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. The Lancet. Published online May 12, 2026. Accessed May 12, 2026. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00717-8/fulltext