Bio

Robert DiSogra, AuD, has dedicated the majority of his career to promoting an understanding of the pharmacologic effects on hearing and balance among audiologists around the world. While teaching at Rutgers University over 25 years ago he questioned why his patients had clinical complaints of hearing loss, yet their test data showed no evidence of peripheral loss. He then went beyond his clinical practice to initiate an unprecedented review of evidence that identified the influences of pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals on hearing loss and tinnitus.

In a series of publications for audiologists over the past 20 plus years, Dr. DiSogra distinguished his audiology career by identifying over 400 adverse auditory/vestibular side effects related to more than 2000 drugs. He later developed and taught the pharmacology/ototoxicity distance-learning course while pursuing his own degree at Salus University.

By 2019, 25 AuD programs were offering a dedicated pharmacology course, in part, because of this pharmacological connection to hearing and balance disorders. He is a sought-after presenter at state and national audiology association meetings.

Dr. DiSogra has left a legacy for our field. He recently served on the Academy’s Pharmacology Task Force, which explored the requirements for prescriptive privileges for audiologists.  

Audiologists who have used his publications, or have been his students, or attended any of his presentations, have certainly benefited from Dr. DiSogra’s expertise in the field.