An Alert against Over-The-Counter Hearing Aids by Attorney Gen. Dave Yost

Ohio’s Attorney General, Dave Yost, is raising awareness about deceptive tactics of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid companies, which falsely claim that they are approved by the government.  

There are several alternatives for hearing assistance, but many of them are no better than cupping your hand behind your ear. It’s important to do your research before investing your time and money in a product that doesn’t benefit your hearing health. 

Even though the U.S. Congress approved OTC hearing aids in 2017, none of them have been approved by the American Food and Drug Administration. This has not deterred some companies from falsely claiming that they are FDA-approved.       

The current OTC hearing aid salespeople are not required to be transparent that their devices are not designed for anyone with severe hearing loss.    

Here’s a guide to buying hearing aids or assistive listening devices:

• Get a hearing test and hearing aid fitting by a certified hearing instrument specialist (HIS). They know and understand the technology better than anyone in the hearing healthcare profession. They will be able to help you select the proper hearing aids for your specific needs.  
• Be aware that the FDA has NOT approved of any OTC hearing aids. 

If you, or a loved one, are experiencing hearing loss and need reliable hearing aids and hearing instrument specialists, please contact us at Pure Sound Hearing.

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