From GLP-1s to Gene Therapy: ENT's Next Breakthroughs Take Center Stage in Los Angeles

October's Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation will showcase breaking science that spans widely used treatments and emerging innovations

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest treatments and research advances in ear, nose, and throat care will take center stage in Los Angeles October 17-20, when more than 5,000 of the world's leading otolaryngologists gather for the 2026 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO of the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

The event will highlight advances across conditions affecting hearing, breathing, sleep, speech, balance, swallowing, and head and neck health. Reporters are invited to register and review the full 2026 Annual Meeting Media Guide, featured studies, expert resources, and meeting information in the online press kit.

The meeting will also examine the policy and economic pressures shaping access to care. The event comes as proposed Medicare cuts, rising practice costs, and workforce challenges put pressure on physicians' ability to invest in new technology and patient services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed 50% Medicare payment cuts for certain same-day services beginning in 2027, adding urgency to conversations at the event.

"Otolaryngology is at the center of some of today's most important health and policy conversations," said Rahul K. Shah, MD, MBA, Academy CEO and executive vice president. "From gene therapy and GLP-1 medications to dementia prevention, sleep apnea, cancer, and hearing restoration, this research shows how far ENT care reaches. Our physicians need the freedom to keep innovating—and sound policies that help turn that innovation into better patient care."

The Academy's 2026 media guide highlights six research frontiers:

The Ozempic era comes for ENT care. As GLP-1 and GIP/GLP-1 medications become more common, ENT specialists are examining questions involving thyroid cancer risk, cancer aggressiveness, obesity-related airway disease, surgical outcomes, and patient counseling.

Hidden connections across mental and physical health. Researchers are investigating whether treatment of nasal nerves may reduce migraine-related disability in patients with rhinitis, or chronically congested noses. Another study reports elevated salivary gland cancer rates among patients with eating disorders, a surprising finding that warrants further investigation.

Hearing health becomes brain health. Studies explore links between hearing loss, type 2 diabetes, cognitive decline, and healthy aging. Researchers are also examining preventable risks, including how where concertgoers sit at a venue may affect noise exposure and hearing symptoms.

Treating sleep apnea may benefit the whole body. New research on hypoglossal nerve stimulation—an implanted therapy that activates the nerve controlling the tongue to keep the airway open during sleep—examines potential effects on blood pressure, cardiovascular outcomes, glaucoma, and children with Down syndrome.

Gene therapy moves toward hearing-restoration reality. Early studies of two groundbreaking therapies—AK-OTOF and DB-OTO—suggest that children with profound genetic hearing loss may gain access to sound and new opportunities for speech and language development. Another trial extends gene therapy research into vestibular schwannoma and skull base care.

Hidden conditions gain new recognition and treatment. Research addresses "no-burp" syndrome, chronic sinus disease with nasal polyps, Ménière's disease, and sudden hearing loss—conditions that can be difficult to detect but profoundly disruptive to daily life.

About the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery

The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 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