Bose Quits Hearing Aid Development | The End of SoundControl & OTC?

A new video from Doctor Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix Arizona, discusses why Bose left the hearing aid industry and what this could mean for the future of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. The video underscores the importance of the audiologist's role in tailoring hearing aids to fit patients' specific needs. Dr. Olson also alludes to the need for an OTC hearing aid regulatory framework that promotes safety and effectiveness, citing the need for companies to "eventually develop an over-the-counter hearing aid that will gain mainstream acceptance." ​

"One of the biggest predictors of someone actually keeping their hearing aids is making sure that those hearing aids are capable of treating their hearing loss, that those hearing aids have been properly programmed to meet the prescription of the individual's hearing loss, and to make sure that they have enough support going forward to make sure those hearing aids continuously work the right way," Dr. Olson explains. "I personally believe that this is a major reason why we still do not have a major player in the direct-to-consumer online hearing aid market, even with no regulation whatsoever."