Hearing aids will soon be available for over-the-counter purchase at local pharmacies, breaking down existing barriers to care.

It’s estimated that about 30 million Americans have hearing loss. At 80 years old, 80-90% of people will have hearing loss, however, many will not seek out treatment due to the barriers to care, including cost and need for prescription, Dr. Jeffrey Sharon, Associate Professor of Otolaryngology at UCSF, discussed with KCBS Radio’s Kathy Novak on “As Prescribed.”