Medical Bulletin 14/May/2026

Here are the top medical news for today:

PCOS Officially Renamed PMOS Following Landmark International Medical Consensus Decision

A condition affecting more than 170 million women worldwide is getting a new name — and experts say the change could transform how it is understood, diagnosed, and treated.

After a 14-year international effort led by Monash University, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) has officially been renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS). Researchers say the old name failed to capture the true complexity of the disorder and often led to confusion, delayed diagnosis, and inadequate care.

The research was published in The Lancet.

Despite the term “polycystic ovaries,” scientists now emphasize that the condition is not primarily about ovarian cysts. Instead, PMOS is a complex hormonal and metabolic disorder that can affect multiple systems throughout the body, including weight regulation, insulin metabolism, mental health, fertility, skin health, and reproductive function.

The renaming initiative was led by Helena Teede, director of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation and an endocrinologist at Monash Health. She said decades of clinical experience revealed how the old name minimized the condition and contributed to widespread misunderstanding.

The process involved collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and patients from six continents, making it one of the largest global medical renaming initiatives ever undertaken. Experts also considered cultural sensitivities during the process to avoid terminology that could increase stigma surrounding reproductive health in some countries.

The transition to PMOS will take place over the next three years, supported by a global awareness and education campaign targeting healthcare professionals, researchers, and policymakers. The new terminology is expected to be fully adopted in the 2028 international clinical guidelines.

Researchers hope the name change will improve awareness, reduce stigma, and ultimately lead to earlier diagnosis and better long-term care for millions of women worldwide.

REFERENCE: Teede HJ et al. Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, the new name for polycystic ovary syndrome: a multistep global consensus process. Lancet. 2026;DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00717-8.

Scientists Discover Hidden Fat-Burning Mechanism That May Help Strengthen Human Bones

A hidden fat-burning system inside the body may hold the key to future treatments for rare bone diseases — and scientists have now discovered the molecular switch that turns it on.

Researchers at McGill University have identified a mechanism in brown fat that activates an alternative calorie-burning pathway, offering fresh insight into how the body generates heat and regulates energy. The findings, published in Nature, could eventually lead to new therapies for conditions linked to defective bone formation.

Unlike white fat, which stores energy, brown fat burns calories to produce heat when the body is exposed to cold. Scientists previously believed this process relied mainly on one biological system. But recent research uncovered a second energy-burning mechanism called the “futile creatine cycle,” though its trigger remained a mystery.

Now, the research team has identified the molecular “on switch” behind this pathway. The researchers found that glycerol — a molecule released when fat is broken down — binds to an enzyme known as TNAP through a specific region called the glycerol pocket. This interaction activates the alternative heat-producing system inside brown fat cells.

While the findings could influence future obesity and metabolic research, scientists believe the more immediate impact may involve bone health. TNAP plays a critical role in bone mineralization, the process that keeps bones strong and properly hardened.

Defects in the TNAP enzyme are linked to hypophosphatasia, a rare inherited disorder sometimes called “soft bones,” which can cause fractures, pain, and skeletal abnormalities. By studying TNAP mutations, researchers discovered that the same molecular switch affecting brown fat also influences bone-building cells.

Scientists have already identified dozens of potential drug candidates for future study. Researchers say the work offers a promising new direction for treating bone disorders while also deepening understanding of how the body controls energy and heat production.

REFERENCE: Mohammed Faiz Hussain, Shreya S. Krishnan, Brittany L. Carroll, Bozena Samborska, Aisha Mousa, Alice Williamson, Maria Delgado-Martin, Bindu Y. Srinivasu, Jakub Bunk, Janane F. Rahbani, Abel Oppong, Anna Roesler, Zafir Kaiser, Mina Ersin, Qiaoqiao Zhang, Maria Guerra Martinez, Abhirup Shaw, Jonathan Cheng, Hannah Klemets, Katalin Kocsis Illes, Victoria E. DeMambro, Clifford J. Rosen, José Luis Millán, Thomas E. Wales, Claudia Langenberg, Marc D. McKee, Alba Guarné, Lawrence Kazak. Glycerol-driven TNAP activation in thermogenesis and mineralization. Nature, 2026; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10396-9

Maternal Insulin Resistance During Pregnancy Linked to Higher Abdominal Fat in Girls: Study

A mother’s metabolism during pregnancy may shape her daughter’s future health years before childhood even begins.

New research presented at the European Congress of Endocrinology 2026 suggests that girls exposed to higher maternal insulin resistance during late pregnancy are more likely to develop increased abdominal fat by age seven. Researchers say the findings highlight how the metabolic environment in the womb can have long-lasting effects on children’s health — especially for girls.

The study, led by scientists from Odense University Hospital, analyzed data from 903 mothers and their children enrolled in the Odense Child Cohort. Researchers examined insulin resistance, fasting blood sugar, and insulin levels in women during the third trimester of pregnancy, when insulin resistance naturally peaks because of hormonal changes linked to the placenta.

Researchers found that girls whose mothers had higher insulin resistance during pregnancy showed greater fat accumulation around the abdomen, upper body, and lower body, along with higher total body fat percentages. Every 1 mmol/L increase in a mother’s fasting blood sugar level was linked to roughly a 6% increase in body fat percentage in girls.

Interestingly, the same association was not observed in boys. In boys, body fat levels were more strongly linked to the mother’s pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), while in girls, the metabolic conditions inside the womb appeared to play a more important role independent of maternal weight.

The researchers also noted that most mothers in the study were relatively lean and healthy, suggesting that even moderate insulin resistance during pregnancy may influence future fat storage patterns in daughters.

Scientists say the findings reinforce the importance of monitoring and improving metabolic health before and during pregnancy to support long-term health outcomes in children.

REFERENCE: Dr. Camilla Viola Palm; Higher maternal third trimester insulin resistance is linked to central fat deposition in 7-year-old girls. An Odense Child Cohort study; 28th European Congress of Endocrinology; https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260512/Maternal-insulin-resistance-linked-to-higher-abdominal-fat-in-girls.aspx#:~:text=Girls%20born%20to%20mothers%20with,Congress%20of%20Endocrinology%20in%20Prague