The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) announced that it filed comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its proposed rule establishing Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids. Once finalized by the FDA, consumers 18 and older with mild-to- moderate hearing loss will be able to purchase hearing aids at retail and online outlets.
Health care providers may be in the best position to identify older individuals who are at highest risk for social isolation or loneliness—individuals for whom the health care system may be their only point of contact with their broader community.
The debate now moves from “if” an OTC class of hearing devices should exist to “what” that OTC class will look like.
Brian Taylor and ADA Executive Director Stephanie Czuhajewski provide a counterpoint to a recent Hearing Review editorial by ASHA President Jaynee Handelsman that cautioned against over-the-counter (OTC) hearing devices.
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Among a dozen recommendations, the Committee on Accessible and Affordable Hearing Health Care for Adults would like to see the FDA establish an over-the-counter class of hearing devices, an end to the “waiver system,” hearing aids that have open programming, and portability of consumers’ audiograms and hearing aid programming information.
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