Following the common cold, otitis media (OM), or inflammation of the middle ear, is the most frequent illness resulting in visits to physicians and the most common cause of hearing impairment in children. The annual cost associated with OM exceeds $5 billion. The International Symposium on Recent Advances in Otitis Media and the Post-Symposium Research Conference are held every four years. The Eighth Post-Symposium Research Conference on Recent Advances in Otitis Media is scheduled to be held in June 7-8, 2003. The purpose of the Research Conference is to summarize and critically analyze important research findings by world leaders in the field who are assembled for the Symposium. The aims of this Post-Symposium and Research Conference are: 1) to review new discoveries that have been made in basic and clinical otitis media research since the seventh "Symposium and Research Conference on Otitis Media," held in 1999; 2) to critically review recent discoveries in epidemiology, genetics, microbiology, immunology, vaccinology, cell and molecular biology, pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis management and sequelae of otitis media; 3) to identify new research opportunities and to delineate future research directions and priorities; 4) to improve and encourage communication and collaboration between researchers in various disciplines; and 5) to widely disseminate information by publication in a scientific journal. To expedite and ensure the timely completion of the panel report, we are proposing a web-based system, accessible to panel members, where the report material can be deposited for review by the other members of the panel. This process will allow panel chairs to monitor the progress being made and will hasten the completion of the final panel report. In order to ensure worldwide dissemination of the information, the Research Conference Report will be published as a supplement to a professional journal, such as the Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, as it has been in the past. Additionally, we plan to post the panel reports on HEI's otitis media web page (with permission from the publisher). [unreadable] [unreadable]