2025 edition received new descriptor records:

These are the first categories that received more descriptor records in 2025:

L - Information Sciences.................................................45
D - Chemicals and Drugs..................................................44
C - Diseases.............................................................19
N - Health Care..........................................................19
E - Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment.....16
F - Psichiatry and Psychology............................................13
SP - Public Health.......................................................12
I - Anthropology, Education, Sociology and Social Phenomena...............8
G - Phenomena and Processes...............................................6
M - Named Groups..........................................................6

MeSH special projects

1. Artificial inteligence and machine learning

Examples:

• Generative Adversarial Networks
• Generative Artificial Intelligence
• Genetic Algorithms
• Intelligent Systems
• Large Language Models
• Machine Learning Algorithms
• Prediction Algorithms

2. Gender and sexuallity

Some descriptors related to gender issues were modified for terminological adjustment:

• From Surrogate Mothers to Gestational Carriers
• From Condom, Female to Single-Use Internal Condom
• From Pregnant Women to Pregnant People
• From Sex Reassignment Procedures to Gender-Affirming Procedures
• De Sex Reassignment Surgery to Gender-Affirming Surgery

DeCS special projects

1. Health Care

In collaboration with BVS Enfermería working group, some Nursing terms in Portuguese and Spanish were inserted, deleted, modified or reviewed in relation to the scope note. See more details about the review work here and some examples below.

Inserted descriptors in Portuguese (left) and Spanish (right):

Inserted entry terms in Portuguese (left) and Spanish (right):

2. Homeopathy review

The second and final stage of the review of the Homeopathy category was completed in the 2025 edition. The highlight of this edition is the reorganization of its entire hierarchy, except for the concepts of homeopathic medicines, which were adjusted in the first phase of the review in 2024. Clic here for more details (text in Portuguese).

General information

All available entry combinations are here.

Annual MeSH Processing for 2025. NLM Tech Bull. 2024 Nov-Dec;(461):e3. Access here.

Adaptation and translation: BIREME/PAHO/WHO

Last update: March, 2025