When the World Health Organization (WHO) renamed “monkeypox” to “mpox” in 2022, we saw firsthand that the decision was more than cosmetic. As leaders of the Biden Administration’s White House response team, we sat in real and virtual meeting rooms with community leaders, patients, public health officials, and clinicians who all told us the same thing: The old name carried stigma and confusion, making people less likely to get vaccinated, tested, or seek treatment.
The modernized name, mpox, offered something rare in a health crisis—clarity and dignity for those over-represented in the outbreak as a key tool to stop the spread of disease. Reverting back to “monkeypox” erodes that progress, undermines the fragile trust we worked hard to build, and adds confusion at a moment when clear communication is essential.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conveyed its intent to return to the old name, “monkeypox” and has ordered CDC staff to erase the modernized name, “mpox” from its documents. This change wasn’t rolled out with a clear public message or announcement. Instead, it appeared abruptly in communications, leaving communities and providers confused.
This isn’t just semantics. It’s about the government’s health agency remaining consistent, credible, and trustworthy. When asked why HHS is reverting back to “monkeypox,” a spokesperson answered, “Monkeypox is the name of the viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus.”
This statement denies the history of this name change and is, in fact, wrong. The WHO officially changed the name of the disease to “mpox” for several reasons, including the fact that the original name was misleading since the virus primarily circulates in rodents and other small mammals, with monkeys being an infrequent source. The change also aligned with the WHO’s guidelines for naming diseases, which emphasize avoiding names that are offensive to cultural groups, or that negatively impact trade, tourism, or animal welfare. The name was changed because it needed to be modernized.
Read more: Sierra Leone Is Battling an Mpox Outbreak. What Happens Next Affects Us All
HHS’s non-scientific regression to “monkeypox” is further confirmation of the weaponization of public health against vulnerable communities. A recent study investigated Google Trends and found that adoption of “mpox” over “monkeypox” was more common in locations with greater LGBTQ acceptance and lower in locations governed by leaders who had recently propagated infectious disease-related misinformation. This is just one example of the backsliding of America to vilify the LGBTQ community to appease a political base distracted by identity politics over substantive issues of national concern—regardless of the scientific and moral justification of such a change.
During the 2022 outbreak, we spent long days listening to the LGBTQ community, frontline providers, and international partners. One theme came up again and again when asked about barriers to vaccination, testing, and care: the name, “monkeypox.”
This name was more than inaccurate, it was one of the foundational barriers to stopping the outbreak. People feared ridicule, discrimination, or racist assumptions if they even spoke the word aloud or walked into a vaccination site emblazoned with a name that conjured a racial epithet. We heard from community leaders that this fear kept people from walking into clinics. For a virus spread by close contact, hesitation meant more disease transmission, more cases, and more suffering.
Working with WHO on the change to “mpox” was one of the clearest examples we’ve seen of governments listening, communicating the concerns, and taking rapid action. For LGBTQ communities disproportionately impacted by the outbreak, it meant being able to talk about testing, vaccination, and care without battling stigma at the same time.
Read more: What It Really Feels Like to Have Monkeypox
The impact was tangible. After the switch, community leaders could stand beside local and government leaders to deliver messages about vaccines and treatment without the burden of an offensive label. That moment built a measure of trust in public health authority. That trust translated into more people getting tested, more vaccines reaching the right people, and more lives protected.
Returning to “monkeypox” risks undoing progress. During the outbreak, we saw how rumor, stigma, and confusion could outpace science. Switching names now creates new uncertainty not just among the public, but also among physicians and local health workers who must explain to patients that “mpox” and “monkeypox” are the same thing.
In an outbreak, clarity and consistency save lives. Mixed messages cause mistakes. Sticking with one clear name makes it easier for doctors, patients, and the public to understand guidance and act quickly. With mpox outbreaks currently spreading in several African countries, the threat of the virus reemerging in the U.S. is real.
There are costs associated with changing names. Millions of taxpayer dollars supported outreach, education, and training built around the name mpox. Rolling back the terminology means reprinting guidance, rewriting websites, and retraining staff—all at a time when health budgets have tightened.
The decision to rename “monkeypox” to “mpox” was a rare moment when we saw science and community voices align. It was not a small achievement. It showed that public health can adapt quickly to reduce stigma, build trust, and that having the community’s support strengthens response during a crisis.
If HHS proceeds with this reversal, the damage will be broad. Confusion will blur emergency messaging. Taxpayer dollars will be wasted. And trust—the most precious resource in any health crisis—will continue to erode.
The post Why HHS is wrong to bring back the stigmatizing name monkeypox appeared first on TIME.
