In This Issue...

Sleep DownUnder returns better than ever
Missed Sleep Week? No problem...
Better options for hypersomnia patients 
Sleep makes it to the mental health reform agenda
New position statement on surgical management of obstructive sleep apnoea 
A new therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea - physician survey
Christmas office closure

Sleep DownUnder returns better than ever

The opportunity to travel within Australia is looking promising for 2021, so we're pleased to announce that Sleep DownUnder is returning in triumph next year. And it will be better than ever!

 You'll have more opportunities than ever before to participate. Choose from attending in person at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre or participate virtually. All sessions will be streamed online, with a virtual exhibition hall, and online meeting and discussion opportunities. 

With all sessions being streamed to the virtual conference platform, the scientific program will look a little different to previous conferences. But you can still count on appreciating high quality presentations, plenty of international speakers attending virtually, and the usual process of abstract submissions to showcase the latest research. 

Save the dates now - 10-13 October 2021

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Missed Sleep Week? No problem...

All Sleep Week recordings are now available in the Education Centre! What are you waiting for?

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Better options for hypersomnia patients 

This year the ASA’s Medicines Sub-Committee has prioritised advocating for better treatment options for people with central disorders of hypersomnolence, such as narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia.

“In Australia we are restricted in the number of medications available to treat disorders of hypersomnolence and often these medications are unsubsidised due to current prescribing restrictions so they are costly for the individual patient. We do not have access to several newer agents which are available overseas so our patients suffer. This goes against current international guidelines for management of central disorders of hypersomnolence,” said the Chair of the ASA Medicines Sub-Committee, Professor Bandana Saini. 

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Sleep makes it to the mental health reform agenda

Last month saw the release of the long-awaited final report of the Productivity Commission's inquiry into mental health. The role and importance of sleep health was included after it was noticeably absent from the draft report.

“While the draft report omitted almost any mention of the interactions between sleep health and mental health, it was pleasing to see sleep included in the final report,” said Alan Young, ASA President.

“This was thanks to a number of ASA members and the Sleep Health Foundation remaining actively involved in the inquiry, and advocating for sleep’s inclusion. Thank you especially to those involved in the ASA response: Delwyn Bartlett, Ron Grunstein, Rick Wassing, Amy Reynolds and Hailey Meaklim, as well as Dot Bruck, David Hillman and Shantha Rajaratnam working on behalf of the Sleep Health Foundation. 

"It’s a modest start, with no mention of sleep in the inquiry’s recommendations. But we’re really glad that sleep health has made it into the picture for such an important blueprint for policy reform in relation to Australia’s mental health system. It’s an important first step.”

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New position statement on surgical management of obstructive sleep apnoea

A new ASA position statement has been published in the journal Respirology on the latest clinical approach to the role of surgery in managing obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

"Surgery for adult obstructive sleep apnoea has an important role, particularly as a salvage treatment modality when patients are unable to tolerate or adhere to devices (such as continuous positive airway pressure or mandibular advancement splint ), and as an adjunctive/facilitatory treatment to aid in device use (as with pre-phase nasal surgery or operations to lower CPAP requirements). In children, surgery such as adenotonsillectomy is considered the first-line therapy," the paper's introduction summarises. 

The paper's authors - Stuart MacKay, Richard Lewis, Doug McEvoy, Simon Joosten and Nicolette Holt - then go on to set out the latest clinical approaches to surgery in the treatment of OSA. The Clinical Committee working group comprising of two sleep surgeons and three sleep physicians has produced an in-depth summary of current scientific evidence and best-practice consensus. 

Read the new position statement
Browse all ASA statements and guidelines

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A new therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea - physician survey

Researchers at NeuRA and UNSW are conducting a survey about a theoretical new treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea that activates the tongue muscles using light from a mouthguard worn at night, after administering a once-off treatment to sensitise the tongue muscles to light.  They are looking for the opinions of respiratory and sleep physicians about this theoretical treatment.

Participation in this research is entirely voluntary. 

It will take approximately 10 minutes to complete the online survey. Find out more about the survey and/or take part.

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Christmas office closure

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