On Nov. 28, 2022, the WHO announced that following a series of consultations with global experts, it had begun using a new preferred term ﾓmpoxﾔ as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while ﾓmonkeypoxﾔ is phased out.

When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatizing language online, in other settings and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO. 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.