RIFM News

As of May 2026, the condition long known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has a new official name: polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS). The change followed a 14-year international consensus process involving 56 patient and professional organizations and more than 22,000 survey responses from patients and clinicians worldwide.

The reason for the change is straightforward. The old name emphasized ovarian “cysts” (which aren’t true cysts and were never the core of the condition). The new name reflects what research and clinical experience have made clear: this is a whole-body condition driven by hormonal and metabolic dysfunction, with effects reaching well beyond the reproductive system.

For patients, the practical takeaways are reassuring. Your diagnosis does not change. The criteria clinicians use to identify the condition do not change. And the way we approach care at Richmond Integrative & Functional Medicine does not change because our focus has always been on the metabolic, inflammatory, and hormonal root causes the new name now puts front and center. During the transition period, you’ll likely see both names used across medical records, lab reports, and health resources.