Helena Teede leads Pcos Renamed Pmos after 14 years
Helena Teede led pcos renamed pmos after 14 years of global collaboration, giving the condition previously known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome a new name: Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome. The change was developed with experts and people with lived experience and is set for full implementation in the 2028 International Guideline update.
The condition affects 1 in 8 women, or more than 170 million worldwide. More than 50 patient and professional organizations helped shape the decision, alongside multiple international workshops and more than 22,000 survey responses.
Helena Teede and the name change
Teede, director of Monash University’s Monash Centre for Health Research & Implementation and an endocrinologist at Monash Health, said the old name did not match what researchers found. “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,” she said.
She said the process was driven by the people most affected by the diagnosis. “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,” Teede said.
PCOS and the old wording
The former name, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, left the condition tied to ovaries and cysts, even though researchers found no increase in abnormal ovarian cysts. The new wording shifts the emphasis to its endocrine and metabolic features while keeping the ovarian component in the name.
Teede also said the effort came after years of missed diagnosis and care gaps. “It was heart-breaking to see the delayed diagnosis, limited awareness and inadequate care afforded those affected by this neglected condition,” she said.
2028 International Guideline update
The transition period will last three years and will be supported by an international education and awareness campaign. The name will be fully implemented in the 2028 International Guideline update, giving clinicians, patient groups and researchers time to move from PCOS to PMOS in practice.
Teede said the agreed principles behind the new name included “patient benefit, scientific accuracy, ease of communication, avoidance of stigma, cultural appropriateness and accompanying implementation,” and added, “Make no mistake, this is a landmark moment that will lead to desperately needed worldwide advancements in clinical practice and research.”
