The provincial government plans to find out if there is support for the potential sale and use of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids in Ontario.
The Ministry of Health believes the change would expand access to convenient, accessible hearing support for some Ontarians. According to the government, the changes would not impact the province's current model of care and Ontario patients would continue to be able to receive prescribed hearing aids covered under the Assistive Devices Program.
Currently, all hearing aids require a prescription and companies that manufacture in-ear headphones and earbuds with built-in hearing aid capabilities are not allowed to activate them.
Prema Samy, an Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctor with Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA), told CK News Today that she believes the plan could make a real difference for Canada's aging population, especially for those with mild hearing loss.
"For someone who is quite hearing impaired, but cannot afford hearing aids, they can get some amplifier to hear better," she explained, adding that most basic hearing aids prescribed by medical professionals can be as expensive as $4,000 to $5,000.
While the province hasn't attached a price tag to OTC hearing aids, it's believed they'll be a much more affordable option for people.
"I guess the basic reading glasses we can get from Dollar Store are the closest comparison," said Samy. "These may be some help to hear better, but may not be specific to [a person's] needs."
Katie Koebel, Audiologist and Senior Manager of Audiology at Hearing Life Canada, agreed that opening up the use of OTC hearing aids to Ontarians is a positive step forward for hearing services, as long as it's done appropriately.
"It's going to help increase public awareness of hearing loss, get more people thinking about their hearing healthcare, promote earlier treatment, and help reduce the long-term effects of auditory deprivation," Koebel explained. "But at the same time, they're not appropriate for everyone."
She added that for people with simple cases of mild hearing loss, the devices can improve awareness, make one-on-one conversations clearer, and support early adoption of amplification, which can be crucial for long-term hearing health.
"There are some important limitations to these devices," she said. "There is limited customization compared to a device that would be professionally fit. They generally do not address complex hearing loss patterns very well. The amount of support that you get is very limited. Generally, the person themselves has to do a lot of the adjustment and troubleshooting on their own."
Koebel added that without professional testing, the volume that is delivered can't be guaranteed.
Both Samy and Koebel agree that if the person using the device already has hearing loss, it's unlikely that over-the-counter hearing aids could cause any further damage to their hearing.
It's still important that anyone considering the OTC option consult a medical professional first.
"The future of hearing care is not OTC versus audiology. " It's OTC plus professional guidance," Koebel stated.
