On December 1st, the European Union welcomed the new European Commission, including the new Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi of Hungary. The new Commission also features the EU’s first-ever Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Glenn Micallef of Malta, and Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib of Belgium.
The new Commission has several important strategic priorities, such as strengthening Europe’s competitiveness, boosting productivity, driving the EU’s industrial revival, and continuing the simplification of Europe’s red tape and bureaucracy.
Fixing Europe’s approval system for the benefit of hearing aid users
Top of the Commission’s to-do list is the crucial review of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), kicking off this December. Following this review, the Commission will decide on the scope and type of revisions. The new rules are needed to speed up the market entry of new devices, including hearing aids or implants. The current MDR has become complex and many users in Europe are at risk of falling behind in access to the latest technological developments, compared to users in the United States or Switzerland, for example. Leaner and faster pathways for medical devices to enter the European market are crucial for users of hearing aids and implants to have timely access to the latest innovations.
An opportunity to put accessibility on top of the European policy agenda
Commissioner Hadja Lahbib was appointed to work on equality issues and her mission covers some acute challenges, such as the continued collection and reporting of equality-related data. Creating a bank of evidence is crucial to understanding where people with conditions such as hearing loss may face accessibility issues in their everyday environment.
In this context, we welcome the appointment of the European Commission’s first-ever Commissioner on Intergenerational Fairness, Glenn Micallef. As there is now a Commissioner with central oversight of generational policies, the EU has an opportunity to adopt a system-level approach into how to manage the societal challenges that come with Europe’s demographic change. This goes beyond health measures, but also public investments into well-funded health and social systems and similar cross-cutting policies.
Hearing loss at the fore of Europe’s health and social challenges
Such policy coordination is paramount in light of Europe’s demographic change. The European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA) estimates that at least 10.7% of people in the EU, UK, Switzerland and Norway are currently living with hearing loss – a figure that is expected to rise as society ages.
Prioritising hearing care makes economic sense; the WHO estimates the global annual cost of unaddressed hearing loss to be greater than $980 billion, while in the EU, the costs of untreated hearing loss of 25 dB HL or more have been estimated to range from approximately €400 to €491 billion.
With the EU’s economic productivity a priority for the new Commission, it is worth noting that hearing loss can also impact our productivity. It is well-established that persons with hearing loss in their working lives are at higher risk of unemployment. EHIMA estimates the economic impact of unemployment from disabling hearing loss will reach €55 billion per year.
The need for systematic hearing care interventions
With the global ageing population, the demand for adult hearing care requires accessible screening services and appropriate interventions, including hearing aid provision.
Early identification of hearing loss is essential due to its often-overlooked nature and its gradual development throughout the lifetime. It is important to establish screening measures for hearing loss at different stages across the life course, targeting those most at risk.
EuroTrak surveys have shown that 90% of hearing aid owners report improvements in overall quality of life, including improved sleep, reduced exhaustion, enhanced communication, social engagement, employment prospects, and decreased stigma associated with hearing loss.
An enhanced focus on early recognition of hearing loss should be among the first tasks the Commission sets itself, as the wide-ranging health and economic benefits would far surpass any investment made.
