Hearing News Watch

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is accepting nominations for the 2027 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards, which recognize organizations and professionals whose evidence-based programs and innovations help prevent occupational noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. Established through a partnership between NIOSH and the National Hearing Conservation Association, the annual awards highlight measurable achievements in workplace

FRANKFURT/MÜNSTER, GERMANY — Four international start-ups have been selected to participate in the 70th International Congress of Hearing Care Professionals, taking place as part of EUHA 2026 in Hanover. Each company will receive a complimentary stand within the EUHA Industry Exhibition. Small presentation spaces will also be available in the EUHA Live Area, the event’s networking and stage area in

FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY – The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) has launched the AuDvantage Membership Program, a new initiative designed to strengthen state audiology associations, encourage professional engagement, and support the long-term future of the profession. The program is built on a simple principle: the audiology profession grows, thrives, and succeeds when state audiology associations grow, thrive, and succeed. “AuDvantage

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA — MED-EL has acquired two gene therapy programs from Rescue Hearing Inc. targeting genetic causes of hearing and balance disorders. The programs address genetic disorders associated with mutations in the MYO7A and STRC genes. The MYO7A program is being developed to address a genetic cause of balance disorders, while the STRC program targets a genetic cause of hearing disorders,

A coalition of U.S. senators and national veterans organizations is pushing back against proposed changes that could significantly alter how the Department of Veterans Affairs evaluates tinnitus and sleep apnea for disability compensation. The proposal has drawn opposition from Sen. Angus King and other lawmakers, as well as Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). While

Scientific journalist Dr. Robert Keefer has published a new book, Hear Better Live Longer, exploring the growing body of research linking hearing health with broader aspects of healthy aging, including cognitive health, emotional well-being, physical safety, and social engagement. The book reviews current research on the relationship between hearing loss and overall health, discusses hearing technologies and treatment options, and

SOMERSET, NEW JERSEY — Oticon, Inc. is now accepting nominations for the 2026 Oticon Focus on People Awards, a national awards program that recognizes individuals with hearing loss, as well as caregivers, educators, and professionals who are making a positive impact in the hearing loss community. For more than 26 years, the Oticon Focus on People Awards have honored hundreds

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — Adults with both epilepsy and hearing loss who use hearing aids may have a 23% lower risk of developing dementia than those who do not, according to new research presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2026. Hearing loss is widely recognized as the largest modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, whether hearing aid use

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) is seeking public input on whether current methods used to evaluate occupational hearing loss remain the most reliable and appropriate, opening the door to a broader discussion about the role of objective hearing tests alongside traditional audiograms. In a Request for Information (RFI), the agency is

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have identified genetic evidence suggesting that Ménière’s disease may be linked, in part, to early developmental pathways in the inner ear, offering a new framework for understanding a disorder that has long been difficult to explain biologically. The findings, published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, come from what the researchers describe as