Work

Medical eponyms: Ambiguity in search terms and the failure of contemporary databases

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The inconsistent application of medical eponyms poses notable challenges to effective information retrieval. Despite guidelines from international health organizations and journal policies advocating for non-possessive terminology, the scientific literature remains divided on this issue. The use of genitive apostrophes adds complexity to search procedures and introduces ongoing linguistic obstacles that may compromise the accuracy of clinical and academic data collection. Database analyses – including Web of Science, PubMed, Espacenet and the Lens – demonstrate considerable discrepancies in eponym record counts, illustrating how term specificity can result in the omission of essential records and intellectual property documentation. This review critically examines the difficulties encountered in keyword and structured table searches and provides an overview of how advancements in artificial intelligence and semantic search technologies may address these limitations.

Source: Journal of Information Science

DOI: 10.1177/01655515261475282

Authors: Lauren Wiggins, Cliodhna McCann, Karl McCreadie, Chris I. R. Gill, James Davis

Institutions: University of Ulster, Ulster University, Derry-Londonderry Campus

Language: English

Topic: Medical and Biological Sciences

Subfield: Anatomy

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650

OpenAlex ID: W7170049767

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