Local News

The FDA approved the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids in August, and the ruling went into effect this week. Now that consumers can buy hearing aids without seeing a doctor, what should they be aware of?

Government officials like Governor Gretchen Whitmer are applauding the FDA’s decision to approve over-the-counter sales of hearing aids and emphasizing that it saves senior citizens money on health care.

Getting hearing aids from a medical professional typically involves seeing both an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) specialist to rule out medical causes for hearing loss and a hearing specialist, or audiologist,  to properly select, fit, and program hearing aids.

With the new FDA ruling,  people can forgo the diagnosis and care of a doctor and purchase hearing aids directly from stores and pharmacies.

The Difference Between Personal Sound Amplifier Devices and Hearing Aids

For those interested in purchasing over-the-counter hearing aids, the choices may be overwhelming. Not only are there a lot of options for size, fit, and features in the hearing aid category, there are also devices which look like hearing aids but are actually personal sound amplifier products (PSAP).

PSAPs are not FDA-approved medical devices, and they are usually low quality and can even damage hearing if the volume is too loud. PSAPs are available online and range in price from less than $15 to $150 per pair, which may tempt consumers with their low price tag. Any product that specifies the word “amplifier” is a PSAP, not a hearing aid.

According to the FDA’s website, “Hearing aids are intended to make up for impaired hearing. PSAPs, in contrast, are intended for people with normal hearing to amplify sounds in certain situations, such as recreational activities like birdwatching or hunting.”

Alternatively, hearing aids are medical devices, designed to assist people with sensorineural hearing loss which is the result of aging, injury, or some diseases. Hearing aids are prescribed, programmed, and fitted by medical professionals with special training.

How To Get Hearing Aids Over-The-Counter

Now that hearing aids are available over-the-counter, individuals interested in purchasing them without the help of a medical professional will have to choose from a myriad of options.

Devices range wildly in price, and it can be hard to tell the difference between true hearing aids and PSAPs.

Retail stores like Walmart carry both PSAPs and digital hearing aids with price tags starting at $11.99 and going up to $435.99. Walgreens is selling a lexie brand digital hearing aid for $799.00.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel advises consumers to beware of scams where companies are selling cheap or phony hearing devices that are supposedly “FDA registered”. The FDA does not approve any over-the-counter hearing aids. Nessel issued a consumer alert saying, “if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

For those who want to purchase over-the-counter hearing aids, they should thoroughly research brands and check the Better Business Bureau for complaints. Although the price tag on over-the-counter hearing aids may enable people to improve their hearing without spending thousands of dollars, the best way to get comprehensive care for hearing loss is to see a qualified medical professional.

Reporting for WGRT –  Jessie Wiegand

St. Clair County Community College is hosting a Financial Aid Night to help individuals and families learn more about paying for college.

The workshop is Wednesday, October 26th at 7 PM in the college’s Fine Arts Theater. It will provide tips  and information for keeping college debt to a minimum and taking advantage of the many college funding options available from government and private sources.

SC4’s Executive Director of Financial Assistance and Services Josephine Cassar said, “If you’re interested in earning credits, a degree or a certificate and want to learn more about federal, state and private funding sources and scholarships that might help you achieve your goals, this event is for you—no matter where you’re planning on heading to college.”

Since the pandemic, funding has increased for federal and state programs that assist students with tuition and associated college costs. Programs like Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect have also been instituted which provide scholarships for adults who work in certain careers or who are returning to school.

Financial Aid Night at SC4 will also provide information about the Federal Application for Free Student Aid (FAFSA) which is now available for the 2023-24 school year.

Learn more at www.sc4.edu/finanical-aid

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

A recall has been issued for Ready-To-Feed infant formula in individual serving bottles. Certain lots of Similac baby formula in 2 oz. bottles distributed to doctor’s offices, hospitals, and some retailers may be subject to spoiling because of a faulty seal on the product’s lid.

Similac products are made by the Abbot company which initiated this voluntary recall for products manufactured at their Columbus, Ohio facility. A small percentage of the bottles in the recalled lot have bottle caps that may not have sealed completely, which could result in spoilage and cause gastrointestinal disturbances if ingested.

The recall is not expected to affect the overall baby formula supply which has been struggling since 2021 when the industry was affected by COVID-19 related supply chain issues. Shortages became even worse after a shutdown of the Abbott plant in Sturgis, MI in February 2022.

There are multiple lot numbers involved in the recall, and a full list can be found at SimilacRecall.com.

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand

The City of Port Huron’s Street Division will be inspecting the 7th Street, 10th Street, and Gratiot Avenue bridges today and tomorrow as part of their bi-annual maintenance program.

The bridges will be inspected between 8 AM and 5 PM, and there will be intermittent traffic shifts and lane closures throughout the day today and Wednesday.

The 7th Street and 10 Street bridges will also be opened several times throughout the inspections.

The City of Port Huron Department of Public Works maintains the physical facilities of the City of Port Huron, which includes streets and bridges along with the city’s water and sewage system and public buildings.

 

The Daughters of the American Revolution are a group of women who are direct descendants of someone who served during the American Revolutionary War. The Ottawa Chapter, which represents the Port Huron area, celebrated 100 years of service this summer.

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) State Historian Pamela Hotary joined local chapter members for a gathering at Lakeside Cemetery on June 11, 2022, to celebrate the ways they have fulfilled the organizations mission and served the community.

The Ottawa Chapter of NSDAR has been supporting area veterans, preserving genealogy records, and taking care of grave sites and marking since 1906. The group was originally named the Ottowawa Chapter until it reformed in 1977 under the name Ottowa at a meeting in the Fogcutter Restaurant in Port Huron.

When the group gathered to celebrate their anniversary, they met at the grave of Marjorie Owens, a founding daughter of the chapter who also served as Chaplin from 1977-78 and Regent from 1982-1985.

For more information about the Ottowa Chapter of the National Daughters of the American Revolution, visit their website here: http://www.ottawa.michdar.net/

 

Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand