Hearing News Watch

By David H. Kirkwood LEXINGTON, KY–The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) has demanded that the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) cease and desist making what it alleges are false statements to audiologists about the consequence of not holding ASHA’s certification in audiology, the CCC-A. In a letter, sent on June 27 to ASHA officials, ADA’s attorney, Robert M. Gippin, asked

EAST LANSING, MI—Wind power is among the most frequently cited alternative sources of energy. And, to be sure, advocates for wind power have some good arguments on their side. It is a proven technology that has been providing energy for decades. It doesn’t generate materials that pollute the air, water, or soil. And the wind is a truly unlimited resource.

ATLANTA—The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has selected the dramatic expansion of newborn screening for hearing loss in the U.S. as part of one of the 10 greatest public health achievements in public health in the past decade the area of Maternal and Infant Health. A report issued in the May 20 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

RESTON, VA—Replacing the only editor-in-chief that the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology (JAAA) has ever had is no easy task. Indeed, it could be argued that no one person could take over from James Jerger, PhD, who, along with being JAAA’s founding editor since 1989, was also the founder and first president of the academy. Perhaps that’s why

FORT MYERS, FL—A U.S. District Court jury in Fort Myers found on June 23 that 7-Eleven had violated the Florida Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act in firing Jim Soliday, a long-time employee who is deaf, rather than reasonably accommodate his disability. The jury awarded the 58-year-old Naples, FL, resident $178,000 for lost wages and benefits and

PISCATAWAY, NJ—A survey of 500 hearing aid wearers, conducted by Siemens Hearing Instruments, Inc., showed that many of them want more robust products that can better hold up during swimming and other activities that they want to enjoy without giving up their ability to communicate. According to the study, hearing-impaired Americans want to lead a more vibrant daily life, but

SOMERSET, NJ–The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Oticon Medical 510(k) clearance to market a bone-anchored power processor called Ponto Pro Power. In announcing the FDA approval on June 27, Oticon Medical said that the new device will benefit adults and children with severe hearing loss due to malfunctioning of the ear canal or middle ear (conductive or

  SAN DIEGO—A meta-analysis of 11 studies has found a strong correlation between diabetes and hearing loss. A group of Japanese researchers reported that people with hearing loss are about 50% more likely to have diabetes than an otherwise comparable population with normal hearing. The scientists presented their findings on June 23 at the American Diabetes Association’s annual meeting in

RESTON, VA–The American Medical Association (AMA) announced on June 23 that it has selected the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) to serve on its Current Procedural Terminology/Health Care Professionals Advisory Committee. The CPT/HCPAC is a panel of specialty societies charged with facilitating the review and development of applications for CPT codes used by qualified non-physician health care professionals. AMA’s decision

BOSTON–If her great grand uncle were “only” America’s greatest inventor, there would still be plenty of interest in Sarah Miller Caldicott’s keynote address at the 2011 International Hearing Society (IHS) Convention. However, what makes Ms. Caldicott such a fitting choice to speak to the hundreds of hearing professionals who will be gathered in Boston on September 15 is that her