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.
The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) cautions that OTC hearing aid rules currently under review by the FDA may unintentionally hinder or repeal important consumer protection authorities, undermining states’ ability to ensure safe and affordable access to hearing aids. Currently, all 50 states have hearing professional licensing requirements and many have important protections for hearing aid consumers, including advertising restrictions, as well as mandatory warrantees and returns.
The input-related dynamic range of modern hearing aids is important to know in order to prevent distortion and input-clipping of louder sounds in the environment. Typical loud input sounds are music and the level of a hearing aid consumer’s own voice.
Insight Pro's silicone cushion can now be swapped with a new disposable cushion, which aids in infection control — an important consideration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among all workers exposed to noise in 2014, NIOSH researchers found the majority (53%) did not wear hearing protection consistently. Industries with the highest HPD non-use among noise-exposed workers included accommodation and food services (90%), health care and social assistance (83%), and education services (82%). Additionally, some of the industries where noise is a well-recognized hazard, were found to have high prevalences of HPD non-use, including agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting (74%), and construction (52%).
With this year’s return of cicadas, many will view the mostly harmless insects as an annoyance. However, the bugs’ high-pitched buzzing sound — which can be loud enough to drown out a jet plane flying overhead — could potentially worsen tinnitus.
CareCredit, a Synchrony (NYSE:SYF) solution and provider of promotional financing for patients, announced that it is now integrated into Sycle, a practice management platform for the hearing industry. The new integration is designed to help hearing healthcare practices save time, increase productivity, and provide patients with a financing option that makes it easier to move forward with the care they need for improved hearing health.
Eargo's proprietary algorithm “identifies the user’s surroundings and instantly modifies the hearing device’s settings to ensure optimal benefit, without requiring manual input from the wearer.”
All necessary conditions, including relevant regulatory approvals, have been met and GN has completed its acquisition of the SteelSeries group, according to the announcement.