CE marking has been announced for a half-hour infant hearing loss test to screen babies for the gene mutation that brings lifelong deafness when these susceptible patients are given certain antibiotics.

Moves to unify UK hearing care professionals under one College of Audiology suffered a major reversal this month when one of the key associations involved announced its withdrawal from negotiations.

US Food and Drug Administration regulations on over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids were expected to be announced this November. Scratch that, if strong rumours of a delay in issuing these key rules until the first quarter of 2020 hold up.

A drive to increase sign language skills ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games has seen interest tripled in learning to communicate with deaf visitors through the pidgin system International Sign.

A bendy implant material of silicone-covered platinum , with a surface area of just 0.25mm2, is now being prepared for human trials. Its developers see it replacing auditory brainstem hearing implants (ABI).

A smartphone screening system for both hearing and vision impairment has been running in South Africa. It was set up to bring early diagnosis to those whose low socioeconomic status denies them early diagnosis.

Professor Laura Viani, the founder of Ireland's National Cochlear Implant Programme has become the first winner of the new Cpl World-Class Talent Award.