Use capitals for proper nouns and genus names

Use an initial capital letter for medical terms only if the term is a proper noun or adjective, or if it is the name of a genus. Otherwise don’t use initial capitals for the names of:

• diseases and viruses
• diagnostic procedures
• syndromes
• anatomical parts.

Shortened forms

Use capital letters for acronyms and initialisms of medical terms. Spell out the full term in lower case, unless the word or term you’re shortening includes a proper name or a genus name.

Spelling for eponyms

Some terms are named after the people who discovered, studied or described the specific anatomical part or disease. Other terms are named after people who had a particular disease.

All of these terms are called ‘eponyms’. Eponyms appear as different types of adjectives in medical terms. They are usually possessive adjectives.

When referring to an eponym in writing, use the following rules:

• If it is a disease named after people who had the disease, use the possessive case.
• If it is a disease or anatomical part named after the person who discovered, studied or described it, don’t use the possessive case.

This rule doesn’t apply to names of organisations dedicated to studying certain diseases or supporting people who are affected by them. Always refer to organisations in the same way as they refer to themselves.

Italicise organism names

Write scientific names of infectious organisms – such as viruses, bacteria and parasites – in italics. Use an initial capital for the name of the genus only.

Cite common names for pharmaceutical drugs, not brand names

Use the generic names of drugs where possible. Write them in lower case.

You can include the brand name in parentheses after the common name. Use initial capitals for brand names. Commercial terms might be trade marked: take care using product names.

Refer to medical conditions using clear and inclusive language

The language you use for some medical conditions can change as research and social understanding of the conditions evolve. Be mindful of outdated language that can perpetuate stigma or misunderstandings about the condition.

Refer to peak bodies that study the condition or that provide support and information to people affected by it.

When you are writing about people with a medical condition, focus on the person. Use neutral language to describe the condition. Don’t label the person.

If you’re writing both the scientific and common names for a medical condition, place the scientific name in parentheses. Don’t use ‘or’. This could confuse readers into thinking they are 2 separate medical conditions.