Panel Recommends Changing Name of PCOS
A panel of experts has recommended changing the name of polycystic ovary syndrome to better reflect the complex metabolic, hypothalamic, pituitary, ovarian, and adrenal interactions that characterize the syndrome. The panel cites the fact that the name focuses on a criterion—polycystic ovarian morphology—which is neither necessary nor sufficient to diagnose the syndrome. As such, the panel notes, it has posed a barrier to research progress and effective patient care. The independent panel that issued the recommendation was convened by the National Institutes of Health.
The panel supports combining the best of several previous recommendations to create a hybrid name that reflects broad inclusionary criteria and specifically identifies phenotype. “The right name will assist in expanding research support,” Robert A. Rizza, MD, panel member and Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, said in a press release.
The panel's report is available here.
