Hearing aid adverts facing a ban in France under the state health system

Since 2012, spectacles and hearing aids have been exempted from a sweeping ban on advertising medical devices. This situation might be about to change. A ban has been proposed by CNAM (French National Health Insurance Fund), the French national health body as part of proposals to improve quality of the healthcare system while controlling expenditure for 2026.

The debate is old, but its revival comes against the backdrop of a 75% jump since 2019 in the number of people who have purchased hearing aids. The request to suppress advertising is regularly made by mutual insurance companies, which would see their part of the bill reduced.

The suggestion has been welcomed. Interviewed by Le Parisien, the VP of the Union of Hearing Aid Specialists (SDA), Luis Godinho, said he was in favour of this measure. “This is about health, not consumption: the ENT specialist writes a prescription, but the patient has no knowledge of how to choose the device; it is the hearing aid specialist who determines the right model,” he said

Brice Jantzem, President of the same union, added in a post on LinkedIn: “Offering discounts, €1 supplements, gifts or even promising that hearing aids will compensate for all types of hearing loss – “hear in noise”, “hear as you used to”, “enjoy clear, natural and crystal-clear sound”, blah blah blah – distances us from our role and creates disappointment and misunderstanding among those around us, who should be involved.”

The French National Union of Ophthalmologists (SNOF) also welcomed the announcement.

Source: Audio Infos France