FTC Workshop on Hearing Health and Technology

“Now Hear This: Competition, Innovation, and Consumer Protection Issues in Hearing Health Care” Workshop to be held in April by the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it is hosting a workshop in Washington, DC on April 18, 2017 to examine several crucial issues raised by hearing health and technology, particularly hearing aids and devices with similar functions and features.

The FTC’s workshop, “Now Hear This: Competition, Innovation, and Consumer Protection Issues in Hearing Health Care” will bring together researchers, health care providers, industry representatives, consumer representatives, policymakers, and others to examine ways in which enhanced competition and innovation might increase the availability and adoption of hearing aids by those consumers who need them. In addition, the workshop will examine how to balance consumer health and safety issues with consumer interests in greater competition and innovation and ensure consumers have access to truthful and non-misleading information about hearing health products and services.

Topics of discussion at the workshop will include:

• Consumer Information and Search Costs
• Innovation in Hearing Technology and Treatment
• Innovation in Hearing Health Care Delivery
• The Benefits and Costs of Regulation

The FTC invites comments from the public on the topics covered in this workshop. For further information on the workshop and the public comment process, including a list of suggested questions open for comment, please see visit the workshop website.

The daylong workshop, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Constitution Center, 400 7th St. SW, Washington, DC 20024. A detailed agenda will be published at a later date. Information about reasonable accommodations is available on the conference website. A live webcast of the workshop will be available on the day of the event.

For more information visit the workshop website.