Hearing Loss Magazine January/February 2013 - 18

By Brad Ingrao
e’ve all seen those ads on TV and in magazines praising the benefits of those little hearing devices you can put in your ears to make you hear from across the room. But, what are they and are they legitimate for getting hearing help? In the September/October 2009 Hearing Loss Magazine, Mark Ross, Ph.D., wrote about Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs). Since then, several developments have emerged, and the folks at HLAA thought it would be a good idea to revisit this topic. As I usually agree with them, here we go.

A Rose by Any Other Name
PSAPs vs. Hearing Aids
18 Hearing Loss Magazine

What is a PSAP? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) defines a PSAP as “a wearable electronic product that is not intended to compensate for impaired hearing, but rather is intended for nonhearing impaired consumers to amplify sounds in the environment for a number of reasons, such as for recreational activities.” The FDA defines a hearing aid as “a wearable sound-amplifying device that is intended to compensate for impaired hearing.” While those definitions seem very similar, there are a few important differences. The intention of the devices is different. PSAPs are not medical “devices” but rather “electronic products.” As such, they are marketed, packaged, labeled, sold, and most importantly, regulated differently than hearing aids and other medical devices. As defined by the FDA, PSAPs are intended for “recreational purposes,” such as bird watching or innocently eavesdropping. Hold the phone Doc; do you really expect anyone reading Hearing Loss Magazine to fall for that? Aren’t these PSAPs really the same thing as those expensive brand name hearing aids without all the bells and whistles (and high prices)? Yes and no. In his article, Dr. Ross cited two studies that found that at least some

Hearing Loss Magazine January/February 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Hearing Loss Magazine January/February 2013