Beware of Purchasing Hearing Aids on Internet

8 November 2012

The National Foundation for the Deaf Issues Consumer Warning

Beware of Purchasing Hearing Aids on Internet

To go from having good hearing and being able to fully participate with family and friends, to living in a world where hearing loss becomes a distressing every day reality can be very challenging.

Add to this the belief that you are unable to afford to pay for hearing aids and you then have the perfect scene for internet-based businesses to hawk cheap hearing aids that probably do not meet the specific hearing support needs of many vulnerable hearing impaired New Zealanders.

1:6 or over 700,000 New Zealanders live with hearing loss and this group is increasingly being targeted by internet operators, which is very concerning to Louise Carroll, CEO, of The National Foundation for the Deaf Inc.

Ms Carroll advises “Hearing aids are medical devices that need to be clinically prescribed by appropriately skilled health professionals and should not be simply purchased over the internet”.

Also, it is a myth, bordering on urban legend that all hearing aids are too expensive as there are a wide range of inexpensive hearing aids available that can be prescribed by properly qualified health professionals.

The National Foundation for the Deaf Inc. strongly warns against purchasing hearing aids on-line and recommends all who are considering it to call us first on 0800 867 446 to discuss their options or if using a telephone is a challenge to visit our website at www.nfd.org.nz to read about their options.

It is very important that people with hearing impairment have the opportunity to discuss or learn of their options and are protected from being sold ineffective and/or unusable devices.

ENDS

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