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WHO Issues "Best Practices" For Naming Diseases

Gemini

Senior Member
Messages
1,176
Location
East Coast USA
"A disease name should consist of a generic descriptive term based on symptoms..., who is afflicted... seasonality,,,, and severity.... "

"Disease names, the WHO said, may not include geographic locations, people's names, species of animal or food, references to culture, population, industry or occupation, and 'terms that incite undue fear'".

"The news was welcomed by officials who had seen the damage that a disease name can cause."

Announced by Dr. Keiji Fukuda WHO assistant director general for health security (NY Times 5/9/2015)

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/h...litical-correctness-in-new-disease-names.html
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
I have not read the New York Times piece (yet) but I did see the WHO press release on this yesterday (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2015/naming-new-diseases/en/).

In part it says:
"The best practices apply to new infections, syndromes, and diseases that have never been recognized or reported before in humans, that have potential public health impact, and for which there is no disease name in common usage. They do not apply to disease names that are already established."
 
Messages
15,786
I dare say this statement is political and is to do with the whole SEID/ME/Ramsay's disease debate
I doubt it ... SEID is purely an American term and issue at this point, whereas WHO is a very international organization.

More likely is that the IOM committee knew about the upcoming requirements, or at least the preferred conventions, and chose to follow them.
 
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worldbackwards

Senior Member
Messages
2,051
How so? SEID conforms to using the unique descriptive symptom in naming it, and the systemic nature. I don't think WHO is suggesting that every descriptive term should be used - every disease would be a full paragraph if they tried that :p
Oh, just me not actually bothering to read what I'd quoted :)
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
These best practices announced by WHO refer to the naming of newly identified human infections, diseases, syndromes, not diseases already named.

From the New York Times piece:
"It emphasized that the recommendations “do not apply to disease names that are already established...”"


Worth noting - ICD will still determine the final technical names of new diseases.
 
Messages
15,786
These best practices announced by WHO refer to the naming of newly identified human infections, diseases, syndromes, not diseases already named.

From the New York Times piece:
"It emphasized that the recommendations “do not apply to disease names that are already established...”"
You're right. "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" is already established in the US, so I guess people could argue in favor of keeping that if they really wanted to.
 

Denise

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
You're right. "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" is already established in the US, so I guess people could argue in favor of keeping that if they really wanted to.

I am not sure this press release applies to us as the disease has already been described.
I want the term "chronic fatigue syndrome" to be abolished.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
Fukuda (whose name is associated with the 1994 chronic fatigue syndrome case definition) - how ironic!

Since ME and CFS are both established names, they wouldn't fall under this rule. It seems like SEID or a future new name based on research would have to follow the rule, but it's a little unclear as it's still describing an old disease with established names.
 

wastwater

Senior Member
Messages
1,270
Location
uk
Call it ED Energy deficiency maybe or Energy deficient state (EDS)
 
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WillowJ

คภภเє ɠรค๓թєl
Messages
4,940
Location
WA, USA
You know what bothers me about this?

The original name for HIV/AIDS fits the guidelines.

CFS fits the guidelines.

There is concern about stigmatizing places, trades, occupations, and concern about scaring patients, but no concern about stigmatizing patients.
 

wastwater

Senior Member
Messages
1,270
Location
uk
Aquired Energy deficient state AEDS maybe. Inherited energy deficient state IEDS that's nearly SEID
 
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