What Are OTC Hearing Aids?
Over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids have been available directly to consumers without a prescription since October 2022. These products may be easier to get than prescription hearing aids. They are for adults only with perceived mild-to-moderate hearing loss. HLAA advocated for and helped to usher in this new category of devices, which may allow some people to treat their hearing loss sooner. If you’re considering OTC hearing aids for yourself or a family member, see our resources and webinar recordings below for helpful information.
HearingU OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar Series
To help provide clarity and understanding for anyone interested in OTC hearing aids, HLAA provides ongoing updates on this emerging product category through a series of informative, Q&A-style webinars with industry experts.
Our popular OTC 101: Ask the Experts webinars feature a range of leading professionals in the OTC industry—including regulators, researchers, audiologists, manufacturers and independent reviewers—sharing information and answering pre-submitted and live questions.
View captioned recordings of these webinars at the links below.
Watch OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar #5
Explore the Options with Sony, Sonova & HearAdvisor, January 29, 2025
Experts from leading hearing aid companies, Sony and Sonova, and independent hearing aid evaluator HearAdvisor, discuss the latest advances in over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids.
Watch OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar #4
Meet the Manufacturers, Sonova & Jabra Hearing, June 5, 2024
The fourth webinar featured two professional audiologists who work with OTC manufacturers Sonova (Sennheiser) and Jabra Hearing sharing their product and industry expertise.
Watch OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar #3
Meet the Manufacturers, Sony & EssilorLuxottica, May 22, 2024
In the third webinar, representatives from Sony and EssilorLuxottica Nuance Audio shared information about their OTC products.
Watch OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar #2
NIDCD and AARP Panel, February 20, 2024
The second webinar in this series highlighted medical experts from AARP and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Watch OTC 101: Ask the Experts Webinar #1
FDA Panel, November 1, 2023
Our first OTC 101 webinar featured a panel of regulators from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency that oversaw the market approval and rulemaking for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) OTC resources
Over-the-counter hearing aids are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In addition to our Tip Sheet and Shopping Checklist above, we also recommend consulting the FDA’s guide for important factors to consider in your research:
HLAA provided input for the FDA’s rule to include consumer protections for OTC hearing aids. Read why the return policy is so important to review before purchasing.