On December 1, 2016, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2016. This bill would make certain types of hearing aids available on an over-the-counter (OTC) basis, would remove the requirement for a medical evaluation (or signed waiver), and would also allow personal sound amplification products (PSAPs) to be sold for the treatment of hearing loss.
Topic(s): Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act, personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), Advocacy
In the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz,” Dorothy realizes in order to reach the Emerald City, she must first travel through the dark and unfamiliar Enchanted Forest. Worried that they will be attacked, the Tinman predicts the forest will be filled mostly with “lions and tigers and bears.”
Topic(s): hearing aid, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, OTC Hearing Aid Act, Technology, Audiogram