The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced its intention to launch a new name for monkeypox disease in order to avoid "stigma" associated with the old name. A statement from the organization's headquarters in Geneva noted, "Monkeypox will be referred to in WHO documents by a new name, mpox, and for a year, both the old and new names for the disease will be used, after which the new name will be circulated."
The report added, "Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will start using the term mpox as a synonym for the commonly used term monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for a year, while the name monkeypox will be gradually phased out."
The World Health Organization clarified that "during both public and private meetings it held, a number of individuals and countries expressed their concerns and urged WHO to propose a way to change the name of the disease. After the spread of monkeypox around the world earlier this year, the organization received reports indicating that in 'some communities' and online, derogatory racist phrases were being circulated."
