Not surprisingly, the Consumer Electronics Association and HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America), a consumer advocacy group for the hearing-impaired population, were quite supportive of the report, although HLAA still supports seeing a professional hearing healthcare provider or physician as a part of good healthcare practices. This dichotomy of positions, adds to the disruptive element in the hearing care community today.
In March of 2017, the “Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Act of 2017” was passed. This sets into motion several actions from the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish assurances of safety, limits on device output, labeling requirements, and other limitations for sales on site, by mail or over the internet.
As this journey unfolds, the market is experiencing transitional panic, as a generation of professionals are selling off to the big 6 manufacturers. It is anticipated that until there are clear indicators of recalibration and new strategies at the retail level.