Hearing Aid Industry Monopoly and One Mother's Testimony at the FDA

This may be old news to some, but I found this transcript from Janice Lintz in 2016 very interesting given the recent fact that Bose just got a De Novo exemption for their first OTC hearing aid. Well, actually it is not classified as an OTC hearing aid just yet because the FDA needs 2 years to figure that very simple thing out.

Of course, the hearing aid dispensary monopoly also will use that 2 years to lobby hard and convince the FDA that OTC hearing aids are "dangerous" and "not within the consumers best interest". Translation; they are scared to death that FINALLY their lock on overpriced hearing aids will be over. I hope the FDA does the right thing and gives the hearing impaired patient population affordable choices to improve their lives.

https://janicelintz.com/2016/04/22/...d-for-transparency-in-the-hearing-aid-market/

 

Bose just trampled the hearing aid industry with user friendly hearing aids realizing their patients are more tech savvy, now it's going to be even more fun when hair cell regeneration knocks them outta business.

If you really care about hearing impaired individuals support the science of hearing restoration/cochlear hair cell regeneration. It's actually sad most people with hearing loss don't know about Frequency Therapeutics.

 

It's not supported because CMS and the FDA give little to no priority to hearing health care and its fledgling industry.

If you get CMS to open reimbursement to not only novel research like FT, but simple things like hearing aids (dominated by monopolies), then you'll have more players all fighting and competing for a piece of the pie.

That's how research and innovation are driven, at least in the USA.