From Gene Therapy to Whole-Body Health: Major ENT Research Coming to Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 5,000 ear, nose and throat specialists from around the world will gather in Los Angeles next week for the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery's 2026 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO. The event will feature new research on hearing, sleep, breathing, head and neck conditions, gene therapy, and other emerging areas of healthcare.

WHAT: The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) will bring leading ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists to Los Angeles for its 2026 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO.

WHY: The event offers reporters access to research with implications for millions of patients. Experts will also address proposed Medicare payment cuts for 2027 and the harm they will cause to patients' access to physicians. Scientific themes include:

• GLP-1 medications: What emerging evidence suggests about thyroid cancer risk, airway and ear conditions, sleep apnea, and surgery
• Hearing and brain health: New research on diabetes, sex-specific cognitive decline, and noise-related hearing damage
• Sleep apnea beyond sleep: What treatment may mean for cardiovascular health, mental health, and driving safety
• Eating disorders and cancer: Research examining elevated salivary gland cancer rates among people with eating disorders
• Gene therapy for hearing loss: Early results from emerging treatments for genetic hearing loss and vestibular schwannoma

"The Annual Meeting brings together the best of our specialty—science, innovation, and policy," says Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, Academy CEO and executive vice president. "It is where ideas move forward and where discoveries in hearing, sleep, breathing, and head and neck health increasingly reveal connections across the whole person."

WHEN:
October 17–20, 2026

WHERE:
Los Angeles Convention Center
1201 S. Figueroa St.
Los Angeles, CA 90015

WHO:
More than 5,000 otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeons, researchers, clinicians, industry leaders, and other specialists from more than 70 countries.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

• On-site and virtual access to leading experts
• Interviews with researchers presenting new findings
• Expert commentary on timely health and policy issues
• Resources for consumer, health, science, medical, and trade reporters
• Policy discussions on Medicare and patient access

Reporters can review featured research, expert resources, meeting information, and media materials in the 2026 Annual Meeting press kit.

About the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

The AAO-HNS represents approximately 13,000 physicians and other professionals who treat the ears, nose, throat, and related structures of the head and neck. Otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeons diagnose and treat conditions affecting patients of all ages and help people breathe, hear, speak, sleep, swallow, and connect with the world.

Together, the Academy and its Foundation advance the specialty through education, research, quality improvement, advocacy, humanitarian programs, and initiatives that shape the future of patient care.

SOURCE The American Academy of Otolaryngology