Today's Debate: Over-The-Counter (OTC) Hearing Aids
By Ross, Mark; Hearing Loss Magazine, Vol. 25, No. 5, pp. 18-23Publication Date: September/October 2004
Article discusses issues surrounding the sale of hearing aids over the counter, rather than as prescribed by an audiologist. The author implicates the high cost of hearing aids as the most significant factor that stops people from using hearing aids, and discusses two citizen petitions to the Food and Drug Administration: one to permit the sale of hearing aids over the counter, and another to eliminate the requirement that adults need medical clearance prior to purchasing a hearing aid. The reasoning attached to these petitions is that the price of hearing aids is shutting many of those who need them out of the market, and that many people with mild to moderate hearing losses could benefit from a “one size fits most” design, especially if it is inexpensive and easy to acquire. The pros and cons of arguments for or against the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids are discussed.
Published by: Hearing Loss Association of America (formerly Self Help for Hard of Hearing People) (Website:http://www.hearingloss.org)
