Monkeypox Is Renamed ‘Mpox’ to Reduce Stigma
Monkeypox will now be officially referred to as “mpox,” according to an announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while “monkeypox” is phased out.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has followed suit and is also updating its website with the term “mpox.”The WHO made the change in an effort to fight racism, discrimination, and stigma that has been associated with the disease, which primarily affects men who have sex with men.“In several meetings, public and private, a number of individuals and countries raised concerns and asked WHO to propose a way forward to change the name,” wrote the organization.The push to rename the disease began in June 2022, when a group of international scientists declared in a statement the urgent need to use…