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The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

npr.org

11–20 of 462 posts

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#11
Great news. I've been learning about and implementing real-time DSP algorithms for audio enhancement. (Cortex-M7) I started this hoping to make scifi headphone that enhance hearing for normal people with different presets, but realized what I'm essentially building is more like a hearing aid. Didn't even realize the regularly issue. (Although using the article's terminology, could probably already market this as a PSAP and be fine. (?)).

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do most elderly people even have the dexterity to use the teeny hearing aids on the market today?

Not just elderly people. Rechargable devices would be a boon.

I wear hearing aides every day. SMALLER would be better and mine have BT5 and rechargeable. they are NOT cheap about $6k pair with 3 year complete warranty included. Again having options is the best thing, making them larger for me would mean they are more easily dislodged when I bend over to pick something up or are wearing them when working in shop. Having some that have better weather or fully waterproof would be great. I normal take them off when working outside or in the shop. The sweat makes them mostly useless because of the "noise" the sweat makes against the mics. Then the sweat also makes them slick and they will not stay in place. Having options is ideal and affordable options would be great. I don't know why these things are $6k pair when they share a lot of tech with modern in ear options from bose/apple/ect.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#13

"People with mild or moderate hearing loss" should be free to purchase these sort of generic hearing aids in much the same way that buying non-prescription reading glasses is common. If problems persist, it is time to consult a professional.

An improperly tuned hearing aid can make your hearing worse though...actively causing further damage.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#14

Contact lenses next? It's amazingly stupid that I, as a tourist, who knows exactly what types of contacts I need, may need to get a US prescription for contacts.

Then the doctor leaves their signature off the prescription so that it is effectively useless.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#17
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not just elderly people. Rechargable devices would be a boon.

I wear hearing aides every day. SMALLER would be better and mine have BT5 and rechargeable. they are NOT cheap about $6k pair with 3 year complete warranty included. Again having options is the best thing, making them larger for me would mean they are more easily dislodged when I bend over to pick something up or are wearing them when working in shop. Having some that have better weather or fully waterproof would be…

Agreed, it seems like $6k/pair is an astonishing cost for what is not unreasonable tech in 2021 for an over-the-counter product at much less.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#18
post #13

"People with mild or moderate hearing loss" should be free to purchase these sort of generic hearing aids in much the same way that buying non-prescription reading glasses is common. If problems persist, it is time to consult a professional.

An improperly tuned hearing aid can make your hearing worse though...actively causing further damage.

Right, but I can also buy an improperly tuned chainsaw and cut my arm off.

I’d argue that there should be a giant warning on the box about proper tuning, and leave it at that.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#19
post #13

"People with mild or moderate hearing loss" should be free to purchase these sort of generic hearing aids in much the same way that buying non-prescription reading glasses is common. If problems persist, it is time to consult a professional.

An improperly tuned hearing aid can make your hearing worse though...actively causing further damage.

We really need prescriptions for headphones to save people from themselves.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#20
post #13

"People with mild or moderate hearing loss" should be free to purchase these sort of generic hearing aids in much the same way that buying non-prescription reading glasses is common. If problems persist, it is time to consult a professional.

An improperly tuned hearing aid can make your hearing worse though...actively causing further damage.

The wrong glasses prescription can make your sight worse as well but you can still buy reading glasses and buy "prescription" glasses of any strength.
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