Academy of Doctors of Audiology
The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) was founded in 1977, as the Academy of Dispensing Audiologists, with the goal of fostering and supporting the professional dispensing of hearing aids by audiologists. In 1988, ADA developed the concept of the Doctor of Audiology degree and was a large part of the movement to transition audiology to a doctoring healthcare provision.[1]
Kim Cavitt, Au.D., is ADA's past president.[2]
Joint venture
IntriCon Corporation (NASDAQ: IIN) and The Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA), have established a joint venture to sell personal sounds amplification products (PSAP), which are not currently designated as hearing aids.
Based in Arden Hills, Minn., the joint venture operates under the name earVenture LLC. [3]
Advocacy
The ADA has strongly advocated for the OTC Hearing Aid Act, which would categorize the PSAP's earVenture makes as hearing aids, while removing the participation of audiologists from hearing loss diagnosis and hearing aid adjustment requirements.
According to a LinkedIn post entitled "Why I stepped down as Secretary of the Board of The Academy of Doctors of Audiology," audiologist Gabe Pitt wrote:
"I could never wrap my head around why an association that advocates for audiologists and the care we provide to our patients is supportive of a change in regulations that intentionally removes the audiologist form the hearing aid fitting process. ... ADA’s response to this third class of hearing aid seems contradictory to ADA’s missions and values. Furthermore, there are a number of other recent decisions by ADA that the audiology community has had concerns of, including... Entering the hearing aid manufacturing and distribution arena with the creation of EarVenture. Many audiologists were concerned about an audiology association would make a decision to get into the hearing aid manufacturing/dispensing business. Why would an association create a partnership to manufacture and distribute hearing aids? ADA may say it was help reduce the cost of hearing aids. But most major manufacturers as well as buying groups like AudNet provides hearing aids at lower price points than EarVenture. ... And why is the ADA board now clearly standing up for something that is not in the best interest of audiologists? What other secret relationships are in the works and on the horizon? Judging by recent actions by ADA one can only assume that there must be some other reason that ADA is supporting this 3rd class because it is certainly not to benefit audiologists, or the patients we serve."[4]
Political contributions
IN the 2014 election cycle, ADAPAC gave $136,162 in contributions to candidates [5]
