CASLPO News

CASLPO is not aware if, or when, the Apple hearing test and hearing aid features will become available in Ontario, or elsewhere in Canada. CASLPO can only regulate individual health professionals and cannot regulate devices or technologies entering the market. CASLPO also does not have legal authority over hearing aid companies or the clinics or shops where hearing aids may be dispensed or purchased.

Currently, Ontario legislation (the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991) requires that hearing aids can only be dispensed with a prescription from an audiologist or physician. This is because, in certain situations, there is risk of harm if people use hearing aids without a hearing examination or consultation with a health professional. For example, if there is an unidentified medical issue underlying a hearing problem, when the hearing loss is severe, or for hearing loss involving children, a patient should seek assistance from a regulated health professional.

It is recognized that OTC hearing devices, including Apple's features, are newer hearing technologies that are intended for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss and for self-guided use without a prescription. It is anticipated that the provincial government may need to consider how to enable access to this specific technology while maintaining safety standards for the public at large.

No, CASLPO is not preventing public access to OTC hearing technologies. The College does not have the authority to regulate features or devices, or to make decisions that restrict or grant access to them. We do not approve or issue medical device licenses, including for the Apple hearing aid features or any hearing aids. CASLPO'S role is to regulate the professional practice of audiologists and speech-language pathologists in accordance with provincial legislations, regulations and standards of practice to protect the public. CASLPO has provided guidance to audiologists on how to assist the public with an OTC that may have been acquired outside of Canada.

Yes. In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced a new category for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults 18 and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. This update created a pathway for OTC hearing aids in the United States, while maintaining an existing regulatory framework for prescription hearing aids for those who need them. This allows for OTC hearing technology to be available directly to the public in the U.S with requirements that safeguards be in place, such as clear labeling, to inform the public on when OTCs may be suitable or not.

Yes. Hearing loss is not a "one-size-fits-all" condition. As mentioned in the first FAQ, there can be a risk of harm in some situations if people use hearing aids without a proper assessment of their hearing and without advice from a regulated health professional. CASLPO recommends that individuals who are experiencing issues with their hearing speak with an audiologist or a physician, both who are regulated. This is similar to the recommendation, for example, that a patient who is experiencing problems with their vision should speak with a regulated optometrist or optician.

The prescription process followed by audiologists according to standards of care set by the College ensures that a proper hearing assessment is conducted, that prescriptions are based around the needs of an individual, that conflict of interest is managed, and that follow-up is provided.

Audiologists must meet the minimum educational requirement of a master's degree to be registered with CASLPO to practice in Ontario. Audiologists have knowledge, skills, judgement, and training to identify hearing loss and provide personalized treatment recommendations. This may include prescribing hearing aids, providing strategies for managing hearing loss, offering treatments like earwax removal, or referring a patient to a physician if there are red flags that suggest a medical concern (e.g., more hearing loss in one ear compared to the other, pain in the ears, dizziness or ringing in the ears). Learn more about audiologists.

Physicians can also prescribe hearing aids. In some cases, an audiologist may recommend that a patient consult a physician if further investigation of their hearing loss is needed.

CASLPO is a health professions' regulatory body in Ontario. CASLPO is not a school, union, or professional association, and does not advocate for the professions or individual registrants. CASLPO operates under provincial legislation (the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Act, 1991).

CASLPO's mandate is to protect the public. The College achieves this by ensuring that registered audiologists and speech-language pathologists are qualified, uphold standards of practice, and engage in ongoing professional development to ensure their continuing competence. Learn more about CASLPO's role.

CASLPO operates under the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA), which is the legislation that governs Ontario's regulated health professions' Colleges.

Professions like audiology also have their own statutes, such as the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Act, 1991, which outlines their scope of practice including any controlled acts that registrants are allowed to perform like prescribing hearing aids.

Health professions' regulatory colleges are required to implement the regulations under those Acts, dealing with areas such as registration, professional misconduct, quality assurance, and more. CASLPO is one of 26 health regulatory Colleges that oversee 30 distinct professions and almost 400,000 health professionals in Ontario.

Controlled Acts are procedures or activities that may pose a risk to the public if not performed by a qualified health professional. Prescribing a hearing aid is a controlled act. Controlled Acts are specified in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 (RHPA) to protect the public. Regulated health professionals can be authorized to perform a portion or all of specific controlled acts that are appropriate for that profession's scope of practice. Because of overlaps in scope of practice, some regulated professions are authorized to perform the same, or parts of the same, controlled acts. Not all of the regulated health professions are authorized to perform controlled acts.