The debate over eponyms.

Abstract

Traditionally, important clinical or anatomic discoveries were labeled with the discoverer's name, to serve as both a means to recognize and reward the discoverer's contribution to the field but also because scientific names were often harder to remember and more difficult to communicate. Eponyms have been pervasive throughout anatomy and medicine over the last few centuries. Recently, some experts have argued that eponyms harbor significant limitations and have become antiquated. For instance, some eponyms fail to convey the characteristic findings associated with the disease or structure for which they are associated and eponyms are often times variable based on country and journal and in the grammatical form that is used. In fact, some individuals are going so far as to call for the removal of eponyms from published medical literature and medical textbooks going forward. In this article, we explore the arguments for and against the continued use of eponyms within medical education and practice, so that readers may understand both sides of the debate.