Earlier this summer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established regulations on over-the counter (OTC) hearing aids, ensuring quality for existing OTC hearing aids and paving the way for future models. As people with hearing loss weigh their options, the ASHA Journals want to make sure you know about what this ruling means for your practice.

Audiologist assessments and prescription hearing aids remain “the gold standard” for Americans facing hearing loss (Creed & Merkison, 2022). Staying on top of the latest developments and research in OTC hearing aids can help audiologists make the best recommendations for their patients and discuss the importance of their expertise in hearing aid selection and fitting. The latest Special Collection on OTC hearing aids brings articles from the ASHA Journals together with resources from The ASHA Leader Live, the ASHA Voices podcast, and more to create a one-stop page showcasing the present and the future of OTC hearing aids.

News, Research, and More

The ASHA Leader Live has been covering the FDA ruling for more than a year, including ASHA’s role in providing feedback to the FDA. Featured articles in the Special Collection highlight hopes and concerns, uncertainties and guidance, and news and updates that ASHA members need to know. You can also hear audiologists talk about OTC hearing aids in their own words with episodes of the ASHA Voices podcast.

Researchers and authors for the ASHA Journals have been interested in the effect that OTC hearing aids can have on hearing in the United States well before readily available hearing aids were a reality. The Special Collection features not only the latest on OTC hearing aids but also formative articles on the topic published in the last 5 years.

Finally, the collection contains a link to ASHA’s OTC hearing aid toolkit for audiologists. The toolkit gives audiologists the materials they need to advocate for their role, inform patients, and collaborate with pharmacists.

More to Come!

ASHA’s Special Interest Group 8, Public Health Audiology, will publish a forum on OTC hearing aids in December. Be sure to check out the forum on the Special Collection page later this year, and stay tuned to the Context Blog on ASHAWire for more coverage of the forum in December!

About Special Collections

Special Collections bring the best of ASHAWire (all five journals and The ASHA Leader) together with ASHA resources to bring readers the latest information on a relevant topic in the sciences. Be sure to check out links to our other Special Collections!

We hope that this Special Collection on OTC hearing aids helps you stay informed about changes these regulations may bring. We look forward to a future where more Americans have access to the hearing care they need, including the important services that ASHA members are best suited to provide.

References

Creed, L., & Merkison, M. (2022, August 23). OTC hearing aid final rule is here: What to know, how to prepare. The ASHA Leader Live. https://leader.pubs.asha.org/do/10.1044/2022-0823-otc-final-rule