Hearing News Watch

People who are deaf or hard of hearing make up one of the largest populations that are helped by various provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). One subset of that population that is protected by the ADA consists of people with hearing loss who are in prison. This week, while I am on vacation, I have called upon

  SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA–Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney have come up with an inventive mechanism to deliver gene therapy to deaf animal subjects, thereby stimulating regrowth of auditory nerves. In an article published in the April 23 issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine, the scientists report how, for the first time, electrical pulses from

CHICAGO—The American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to cochlear implantation through research, advocacy and awareness. So, it was delighted to send out a media alert about an 18-year-old whose cochlear implant was paid for through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace after her parents’ employee medical plan turned her down. Alexandra Falkiewicz, a freshman

By David H. Kirkwood LONDON–Since this blog first reported that Phonak LLC would start selling Brio, a new premium hearing aid model, through Costco, we have received and published dozens of comments on the issue. Many came from independent practitioners who dispense Phonak hearing aids. They expressed outrage over having to compete with a “big box” store that would charge consumers

Since this post was originally published on April 30, it has drawn a number of thoughtful and provocative comments, which follow the main text.  This revised post also contains a response from Jan Topholm, a prominent EHIMA member,  to a query that I sent him in writing the original post.   By David H. Kirkwood BRUSSELS/KIRKLAND, WA–The European Hearing Instrument

AUSTIN, TX—Richard Einhorn, a prominent American composer whose own sudden sensorineural hearing loss motivated him to advocate for others, will be keynote speaker at next month’s annual convention of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) in Austin. Einhorn, who suffered his hearing loss five years ago at age 57, will address the Opening Session Thursday, June 26, from 5

  WASHINGTON, DC—This has been a big week at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for people with hearing and speech disabilities. Yesterday (May 15), the agency officially launched a pilot program in limited parts of the U.S. allowing people to text in emergency messages to 911 rather having to call them in vocally. Two days earlier, the FCC announced conditional

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA; WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND; AND LEXINGTON, KY—Independent hearing healthcare providers are feeling more than a little beleaguered these days, and who can blame them? Consider the following: Every few days, it seems, yet another story is published extolling a new online or over-the-counter device that, for just a few hundred dollars, gives users as much benefit—or nearly as much–as

WASHINGTON, DC—Senator Jon Tester, a Democrat from Montana, introduced a bill on May 8 supporting the International Hearing Society’s Fit to Serve campaign, which would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to employ hearing aid specialists to meet the fast-growing needs of hearing-impaired vets. Senate bill S. 2311, which was co-sponsored by three other Democrats– Mark Begich of Alaska,

By David H. Kirkwood BERLIN–Siemens AG announced at a press conference here today (May 7) that it was preparing to take its hearing aid division, Siemens Audiology, public as part of a global realignment of the German-based manufacturing giant. In its announcement, Siemens said that its audiology business “has a special position within the company,” one that it is no