On April 18th the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will host a workshop in Washington, DC . The purpose of the workshop is to examine several of the issues surrounding the current marketplace for hearing aids, including competition, innovation, and consumer protection.
As per a January 4th press release, the FTC’s workshop, “Now Hear This: Competition, Innovation, and Consumer Protection Issues in Hearing Health Care,” will bring together researchers, health care providers, industry representatives, consumer representatives, policymakers, and others to examine ways in which enhanced competition and innovation might increase the availability and adoption of hearing aids by those consumers who need them. The workshop will examine how to balance consumer health and safety issues with consumer interests in greater competition and innovation and ensure consumers have access to truthful and non-misleading information about hearing health products and services.
Hearing Aid Workshop
According to the FTC’s press release, the workshop agenda will include the following:
- Consumer Information and Search Costs
- Innovation in Hearing Technology and Treatment
- Innovation in Hearing Health Care Delivery
- The Benefits and Costs of Regulation
The workshop, which is free and open to the public, will be at the Constitution Center, 400 7th St., SW, Washington, DC. A detailed agenda will be published at a later date. A live webcast of the workshop will be available on the day of the event. For more information on this workshop please see this link.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a bipartisan federal agency with a dual mission to protect consumers and promote competition among businesses. The FTC develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences.
