In case you haven’t heard yet, it won’t be much longer now until people will be able to purchase hearing aids over the counter.
Breaking: President Biden just announced that the FDA has cleared the way for hearing aids to be sold over the counter without a prescription to adults.
As soon as mid-October, Americans should be able to buy hearing aids online and in retail stores.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 16, 2022
This is good news. This is very, very good news.
This is good news that should have happened decades ago! How many medical devices have been delayed, how much human suffering increased by bureaucratic lollygaggling that ultimately adds zero or near-zero to safety? https://t.co/VEcSnfoSO8
— Nick Gillespie (@nickgillespie) August 16, 2022
Naturally, the White House is shouting about it from the rooftops:
Big health care news: the FDA has finalized a rule allowing hearing aids to be sold over the counter, potentially saving millions of people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss thousands of dollars. Look for hearing aids in your local drug store as early as mid-October. pic.twitter.com/LWLUn6gL6m
— Bharat Ramamurti (@BharatRamamurti) August 16, 2022
Well all right!
Outstanding news! This action from @POTUS will remove a ridiculous barrier that prevented countless Americans from accessing hearing aids. https://t.co/FaFjxUv5Hb
— Former Congresswoman Marie Newman (@RepMarieNewman) August 16, 2022
“This action from @POTUS.”
BREAKING: At President Biden’s urging, the FDA is finally making hearing aids available over the counter — a move that will save millions of American families up to $3,000.
Thank you, @POTUS!
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) August 16, 2022
“At President Biden’s urging.”
Well, given the official statement from Joe Biden’s office as well as this tweet:
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For millions, hearing aids and the doctor’s visit to get them are too expensive. That's why I called on the FDA to make them available over the counter.
Today, they did just that. This action will increase competition and lower the price of a pair by nearly $3,000.
— President Biden (@POTUS) August 16, 2022
You could be forgiven for thinking that Joe Biden deserves props for the FDA’s move. Joe Biden certainly thinks that Joe Biden deserves props for the FDA’s move.
Well, guess what: he doesn’t. Because he literally had absolutely nothing to do with this. Worth noting:
Tuesday’s announcement follows prodding from medical committees and Congress, which in 2017 instructed the agency to lay out a plan for over-the-counter hearing devices.
2017, you say? Where was Joe Biden in 2017? On a medical committee? No. In Congress? No. In the White House? No.
Joe Biden here is taking credit for a regulation on over-the-counter hearing aids that was passed by a Republican Congress as part of the FDA Reauthorization Act in 2017 and signed into law by President Donald J. Trump. Curious how he doesn't mention that. https://t.co/MtPGyZu5Hr
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 16, 2022
It is curious! If by “curious,” you mean “totally predictable and on-brand.”
(Sec. 709) The FDA must categorize certain hearing aids as over-the-counter hearing aids and issue regulations regarding those hearing aids. The regulations for over-the-counter hearing aids must: (1) provide reasonable assurances of safety and efficacy; (2) establish output limits and labeling requirements; and (3) describe requirements for the sale of hearing aids in-person, by mail, or online, without a prescription. The FDA must determine whether premarket notification is required for over-the-counter hearing aids to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness.
State and local governments may not establish or continue in effect requirements specifically applicable to hearing products that are not identical to FDA requirements and that restrict or interfere with the servicing or sale of over-the-counter hearing aids.
The FDA must update and finalize its draft guidance on hearing products. The guidance must clarify which products are medical devices.
We’re dying to hear President Biden explain why he deserves credit for that. Or, at the very least, we’d like him to tell us why congressional Republicans and the Trump administration shouldn’t get to share some credit with him.
You are correct, however the FDA did not implement the program until now. Trump signed it, Biden implemented it. Teamwork makes the dream work. This is Govt working as it should. https://t.co/OtHMnEsIp5
— HausVonSchlegel (@HausVonSchlegel) August 16, 2022
OK, but that still doesn’t explain how Joe Biden can take ownership of this.
https://twitter.com/CM_Collapse/status/1559572614317838339
Not much.
https://twitter.com/LoriMcSmith1/status/1559579744739491840
Look at all the “Putin price hike” nonsense, followed by the “0% inflation” nonsense. Joe Biden has a history of trying to shift all the blame for everything bad and take all the credit for everything good.
At least he’s consistent.
Joe Biden taking credit for somebody else's work?
A plagiarizer doesn't change his spots, I guess…🤷♂️ https://t.co/NRclhTFlyt
— Buzz Steiner (@buzzsteiner1) August 16, 2022
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