Summary
This page offers recent news about over-the-counter hearing aids, also known as audio sound amplifiers. As new information becomes available it will be added to the top of the page.
CNBC (28 Oct 2022)
“How Millions Could Benefit From Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids” — An estimated 37 to 48 million Americans have some form of hearing difficulty. Despite that only 14% of people with hearing loss use a hearing aid. But an FDA ruling in the fall of 2022 allowing for the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids could improve access for millions. The new devices for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss cost as little as $199 and are sold at retailers like Best Buy, CVS and Walmart. Starkey, which got its start in 1967 and has produced tens of millions of hearing aids, said it has plans for an over-the-counter offering too. So why are hearing aids so costly and what impact will over-the-counter devices have on people with impaired hearing? To better understand how the devices are made CNBC got a behind the scenes look inside one of the world’s largest hearing aid manufacturers.
ABC News (17 Oct 2022)
“Americans can now buy hearing aids over the counter” — ABC News Medical Contributor Dr. Alok Patel discusses this change and how it will impact millions of Americans.
CNBC (17 Oct 2022)
“Hearing aids are now available over the counter at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Best Buy” — President Joe Biden had issued an executive order in 2021 directing the Health and Human Services Department and the FDA to develop a rule allowing over-the-counter sales of hearing aids. The White House announced the availability of the hearing aids earlier Monday. [More]
NPR (17 Oct 2022)
“What to know now that hearing aids are available over the counter” — Starting Monday, hearing aids will be available to buy over the counter across the U.S. The major shift in hearing health care is due to a recent rule change by the Food and Drug Administration, which in August cleared the way for the devices to be sold in retail stores without the need for buyers to see a doctor first. The move is being hailed as a win for those with hearing loss, which afflicts millions of people across the country, but experts say customers need to be cautious about what products they purchase as sales begin. [More]
ABC News (17 Aug 2022)
“How over-the-counter hearing aids will impact Americans” — Dr. Nicholas Reed from the Cochlear Center at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health describes the impact of the FDA’s move allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter.