“From PCOS to PMOS: Inclusion of The Adolescent Voice in Setting Clinical and Research Priorities.”
May 2026
Lancet Child Adolesc Health
Sarah Brewer, PhD, MPA, Co-Director of the Adult and Child Center for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS) Training, Education, and Mentorship (TEaM) Core, Co-Chair of Colorado Ambulatory Partnership for Health Innovation and Research Excellence (CAMPHIRE), and Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at CU Anschutz, is a co-author of the article, “From PCOS to PMOS: inclusion of the adolescent voice in setting clinical and research priorities,” published in The Lancet Child Adolescent Health.
The article emphasizes advancements in the diagnosis and research approach of polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), highlighting the condition's recent global name change and advocating for the inclusion of patients lived experiences in clinical care and research.
The study also acknowledges the clinical challenges of diagnosing this condition during adolescence. Dr. Brewer contributed her expertise on the importance of high-quality youth engagement in research, an area that is central to her PCORI work.
From the article:
“A principal factor perpetuating diagnostic confusion in adolescence has been the condition’s name itself. The former name - PCOS - embedded two significant misconceptions: it foregrounded “cysts” — which, as noted, are not present — and centered on the ovary, thereby narrowing attention to reproductive features, while obscuring the broader dermatological, metabolic, and psychological dimensions of the condition. This mismatch between name and biology contributed to confusion, stigma, delayed diagnosis, and insufficient attention to non-reproductive features, perhaps most relevant in adolescents where ovarian morphology is not part of the diagnosis. The name change to PMOS resulted from a culmination of global collaborative efforts to improve awareness, care, and outcomes led by health professionals and patients that began in 2012. This partnership led to the 2018 International PCOS guidelines, and the updated 2023 guidelines, which have improved knowledge and awareness, and called for a name change. The new name was generated with unprecedented patient engagement and moves beyond the ovary to reflect the accurate genetics, pathophysiology, and broader features of the condition, aligning with the international recommendations.”