OTC Hearing Aids

A woman looking at the hearing device she is holding

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids as a regulatory category of hearing devices in October 2022. OTC hearing aids are for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss and can be purchased without having to consult a hearing health professional. 

What technologies are being incorporated into OTC hearing aids? How easy are OTC hearing aids to set up and adjust without professional assistance? These and other topics are open for discussion here in the OTC Hearing Aids group.

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Group Content

Discussion

Hearing Aid Battery Packaging

In response to the death of a young child, Reese, who swallowed a "button battery", the U.S. Congress passed Reese's Law in 2022 to improve the safety of button battery packaging, including hearing aid batteries. Subsequent "improvements" in battery packaging has added additional barriers to users of battery powered hearing aids, cochlear implants, and BAHAs. The Hearing Loss Association of…

Event

HLAA Hearing U - OTC 101 #4: Ask the Experts Webinar Series

Meet the Manufacturers of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Part 2: Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids may provide another pathway to treatment for some adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. HLAA’s OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar Series shares information and answers questions about this exciting new class of products featuring a panel of OTC manufacturer experts moderated by HLAA Executive…

Event

HLAA Hearing U - OTC 101 #3: Ask the Experts Webinar Series

Meet the Manufacturers of Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids Part 1: Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids may provide another pathway to treatment for some adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. HLAA’s OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar Series shares information and answers questions about this exciting new class of products featuring a panel of OTC manufacturer experts moderated by HLAA Executive…

Recorded Events/Videos

Vox Video: We're already using AI more than we realize

This Vox YouTube-channel, captioned video describes how we're already using more artificial intelligence (AI) than we realize. AI is hiding in plain sight including in hearing and communication access technologies. Be sure to read the cover article, AI and Other Hearing Technology Advancements , in the Spring 2024 edition of HLAAs Hearing Life Magazine.

Articles/Blog posts

There's No Shortage of "Best OTC" Articles for 2024

There's no shortage of articles that review over-the-counter hearing aids to provide a "best of" list. These articles come from many sources, including: general technology and wellness websites CNET Consumer Reports Forbes Health informational websites focused specifically on hearing loss Hearing Health and Technology Matters Hearing Tracker Soundly and aging-related educational…