Imagine that a medical condition of epidemic proportion is killing thousands of people every year. Imagine that death is preceded by a long period of disability. Imagine that only 10-15% of the people suffering from this condition are diagnosed, and that the other 85-90% don’t even know they have it. Imagine that this condition is extremely easy to recognize and that its symptoms can be completely eliminated by diagnosis and successful treatment at a cost that is about equal to the price of a desktop computer. If you knew all this, what would you do? Certainly, you might be upset, even outraged. But realistically, what could you do? In today’s world, we know that the right thing does not always get done.
Of course, the medical condition is obstructive sleep apnea and we sleep specialists have known all of the above and more for many years. In spite of this, we have failed to foster an effective transfer of sleep-related knowledge to the general public and above all, to the millions of unrecognized victims of sleep disorders as well as the health professionals who care for them. Current scientific research which continues to improve our knowledge of diagnostic and treatment methods is only widening the huge gulf between what sleep professionals are now doing for humanity and what we could be doing. Whatever it takes, this tragic and unfair situation must be changed.
Imagine that a medical condition of epidemic proportion is killing thousands of people every year. Imagine that death is preceded by a long period of disability. Imagine that only 10-15% of the people suffering from this condition are diagnosed, and that the other 85-90% don’t even know they have it. Imagine that this condition is extremely easy to recognize and that its symptoms can be completely eliminated by diagnosis and successful treatment at a cost that is about equal to the price of a desktop computer. If you knew all this, what would you do? Certainly, you might be upset, even outraged. But realistically, what could you do? In today’s world, we know that the right thing does not always get done.
Of course, the medical condition is obstructive sleep apnea and we sleep specialists have known all of the above and more for many years. In spite of this, we have failed to foster an effective transfer of sleep-related knowledge to the general public and above all, to the millions of unrecognized victims of sleep disorders as well as the health professionals who care for them. Current scientific research which continues to improve our knowledge of diagnostic and treatment methods is only widening the huge gulf between what sleep professionals are now doing for humanity and what we could be doing. Whatever it takes, this tragic and unfair situation must be changed.
Dr. William C. Dement