Hearing News Watch

For the second quarter in a row, the number of hearing aids sold by manufacturers in the U.S. from July through September increased by less than 1% compared to the same period of 2010. Given the weak economy and some economists’ fears that it may slide back into recession, the overall 2.3% growth in sales for the year to date

MINNEAPOLIS—A dramatic YouTube video showing a young woman’s emotional response to hearing with her newly activated middle ear implant has now been viewed 8 million times. So it’s no surprise that the video has generated a tsunami of inquiries to Envoy Medical, the Twin Cities company that manufactures the Esteem system that made 29-year-old Sarah Churman so happy. According to

SYRACUSE, NY—Current and former National Football League players and their families will be eligible for education about hearing care, hearing evaluation, and discounted prices on hearing aids under a program offered by EarQ. The program, unveiled October 17, is the result of an agreement between the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and EarQ, a national network of hearing healthcare professionals based

WASHINGTON, DC–The Better Hearing Institute (BHI) issued a warning to consumers on October 14 about “the inherent risks associated with purchasing over-the-counter, one-size-fits-all hearing aids instead of consulting a hearing healthcare professional.” The advisory from the not-for-profit corporation follows recent announcements by two companies—hi HealthInnovations and Audiotoniq—that they will begin selling hearing aids for less than $1000 directly to users

By David H. Kirkwood The International Hearing Society (IHS) and at least two major hearing aid manufacturers have taken strong stands against the sale of hearing aids directly to consumers. As Hearing News Watch reported in posts on September 20 and October 5, two companies—hi HealthInnovations (a UnitedHealthcare company) and Audiotoniq—have announced that they will begin selling hearing aids to

WASHINGTON, DC—A forum for those concerned with how best to prevent occupational hearing loss will be held here on Thursday, November 3 starting at 9 am. Hosted by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the informal public meeting is intended to provide a forum for stakeholders and gather information from them on best practices for hearing conservation programs,

KITCHENER, ONTARIO–Jan Metzdorff, who has been in charge of Unitron’s international sales, was promoted to president, the company has announced.   Unitron, a member of the Sonova group, also reported that the technologies, service, and distribution of Sona, another Sonova company launched in 2010, have been transferred to it. Metzdorff has been an executive in the hearing healthcare industry for

DEEPHAVEN, MN—Kenneth Dahlberg, who as founder of Miracle-Ear helped shape the hearing aid industry in the 20th century, died October 4 at his home here. Dahlberg, a decorated hero of World War II, was 94. Though he gained fame in other areas as well, the former Wisconsin farm boy was a leading light in the hearing care world for decades.

MINNETONKA, MN–Hi HealthInnovations™, a Twin Cities company, has begun offering hearing aids ranging in retail price from $749 to $949. The division of UnitedHealth Group said in an October 3 announcement that it will make its “suite of high-tech, lower cost hearing devices” available directly to consumers. It stated, “Similar hearing devices typically cost consumers thousands of dollars.” Along with

WARSAW, POLAND—As Marshall Chasin wrote recently on his Hear the Music blog, “Older musicians experience less age-related decline in hearing abilities than non-musicians.” However, that doesn’t mean they can’t get too much of a good thing. Musicians who are overexposed to the sound of music often suffer hearing loss. While this condition is especially prevalent among aging rockers, more traditional