Despite Noisy Debut, Report Finds Impact Of OTC Hearing Aids Still Muted

More than a year after the FDA created a new rule allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter and directly to consumers, a government report finds the category has not yet made the impact many were expecting.

Hearing Loss
• Source: Shutterstock

When the US Food and Drug Administration established a category for over-the-counter hearing aids that allowed consumers to purchase the devices at their local retail outlets without a prior medical exam or prescription, it was supposed to be a game-changer for the millions of Americans with mild to moderate hearing loss.

But so far, that hasn’t been the case.

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