OTC hearing aids: An opportunity for collaborative working relationships between pharmacists and audiologists

In 2017, the United States Food and Drug Administration Reauthorization Act created a new category of hearing aids to be sold over the counter (OTC), disrupting how nearly 30 million persons with hearing loss will seek and purchase hearing aids. Laws and regulations do not require a medical evaluation or an appointment with an audiologist prior to purchasing OTC hearing aids. However, it is likely that patients will approach pharmacists with questions about OTC hearing aids when considering these devices available at the community pharmacy. The objective of this commentary is to discuss the opportunity for collaborative working relationships between pharmacists and audiologists in the context of OTC hearing aids. The most relevant barriers to pharmacist/audiologist collaboration are turf concerns, lack of trust, and distance between practice sites. OTC hearing aids can positively impact hearing health care across the nation with successful collaboration between the professions of pharmacy and audiology.