[News] American Sleep Apnea Association Appoints New Executive Director

[ApneaNews]

Press Release:

American Sleep Apnea Association Appoints New Executive Director

The American Sleep Apnea Association announces the appointment of Ms. Tracy R. Nasca as Executive Director. The Executive Committee and Board of Directors thank Mr. Edward Grandi, our former Executive Director, for his 10 years of dedicated service to the organization and to patients with sleep apnea. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

The Association looks forward to working with Ms. Nasca in growing the organization and serving the needs of sleep apnea patients and families. She has served as Board member of the ASAA for the past two years. She was diagnosed with sleep apnea 25 years ago and is a passionate patient advocate. Ms. Nasca has worked in the sleep field since 1999 and brings her successful business and leadership skills to the ASAA.

The ASAA also announces the appointment of Mr. Adam Amdur to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Amdur is the former Chairperson of the ASAA Board of Directors, and a committed patient advocate who has overcome 35 years of undiagnosed sleep apnea. In the role of Chief Operating Officer, Adam will facilitate the ASAA’s role in the Sleep Apnea Patient Centered Outcomes Network.

Fair use from:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/03/prweb11681489.htm

[SuperSleeper]

I have much respect for Ed Grandi who has done much to help sleep apnea patients around the world. He is a true gentleman and his retirement from the ASAA is sad because he was a solid influence for moderation and reason in that organization. Mr. Grandi has a genuine concern for sleep apnea patients and it showed.

On the other hand, the appointment of Adam Amdur to the Chief Operating Officer position is unfortunately an indication of where the ASAA is headed: it intends to side with the medical mafia against the "Patient Empowerment Movement".

Some of you know how Mr. Amdur has acted in the past, and IMHO, he is not an honorable man. He claims to side with patients, but in fact is actively fighting against the primary philosophies we hold dear on Apnea Board, such as patient empowerment or patients taking a more active role in their own sleep apnea treatment. Amdur turns blue at the thought that knowledgeable patients might be able to safely adjust their own CPAP pressure to minimize their AHI levels. He thinks we lowly peons are too stupid to learn the techniques of CPAP adjustment; that only a paid "trained medical professional" can do it (read: more money coming into the medical mafia). The appointment of Amdur is unfortunate; it shows where the ASSA board is headed, and it's not towards our side as patients.

For these and other reasons, I will not give the ASAA a dime of my money any time soon. I do support local A.W.A.K.E. meetings however, as those meetings are largely due to the efforts of folks who are not part of the medical mafia. I would recommend that if you contribute to your local A.W.A.K.E. group, please contribute your time and efforts, and not give money that will end up in the hands of the national level ASAA executives who often subvert patient empowerment when it comes into conflict with the established medical community ($$$).

If you look at the ASAA website's listing of their Board of Directors, you will note that the majority of board members are officers in or currently employed by medical corporations related to sleep apnea. The majority of the board members have a vested financial interest in keeping the "status quo" (keeping the cash flow coming into their businesses). As the saying goes, "the love of money is the root of all evil"; and this particular organization seems to be a shining example of that truth, at least at the national level.

Just inserting my personal opinion, as always.