Hearing aids for mild-to-moderate hearing loss are available over the counter for the first time starting today, a move the FDA estimates could save consumers a substantial amount of money. This is the kind of consumer-friendly action you see in a Democratic administration! Via HuffPost:

The FDA has finalized a rule allowing online and over-the-counter sales, and the White House says hearing aids will be available at major retailers, including CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Hy-Vee either Monday or later in the week. Nearly 30 million Americans – roughly one-tenth of the nation’s population – suffer from hearing loss, but estimates indicate only a fraction of those who could benefit actually use them.

The final rule is a victory for President Joe Biden’s administration, which pushed the FDA to finalize the rule as part of its efforts to renew antitrust enforcement.

“Right now, if you need a hearing aid, you can’t just walk into a pharmacy and pick one up over the counter,” Biden said when unveiling an executive order on antitrust enforcement in July 2021 that includes instructions to finalize the rule. “You have to get it from a doctor or a specialist. Not only does that make getting hearing aids inconvenient, it makes them considerably more expensive, and it makes it harder for new companies to compete, innovate, and sell hearing aids at lower prices.”

I was one of those people who was extremely protective of my hearing, always taking earplugs to every concert. (And always yelling at my kids for turning up their headphones so high I could hear them across the room.)

But as the fates have it, I have hearing damage from a wired smoke alarm that went off on Christmas Eve some years ago. (So no, I couldn't just take out a battery.) Naturally, my landlord wasn't home and for almost three hours, I was subjected to this high-decibel torture. I even tried duct-taping a pillow over the alarm to muffle the piercing noise. It didn't help.

Well, as it turned out, it damaged my hearing. My ENT told me if I had come in right after it happened, they would have treated me with steroids to prevent permanent damage. Oh well!

It's not severe, but it's annoying. So I'm pretty happy about this consumer news. Oh, and hats off to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who first got the ball rolling on this issue.