On November 28, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its intention to phase out the name "monkeypox" to refer to the viral disease that caused an international global health emergency earlier this year. Instead, they will now use the name "mpox." The agency, which acts as the public health arm of the United Nations, cited "racist and stigmatizing language" as the motivation for shifting away from the term. To avoid confusion over the next year, both names will be used simultaneously in the interim.
Many medical experts are praising the decision, which has been under consideration since at least June. But some argue that it's an example of too little, too late and may reflect the WHO's tendency to move slowly on addressing global public health threats, especially from the communications side.
