Personal Sound Amplification Products (PSAPs)
Personal sound amplification products are consumer electronics designed to amplify environmental sounds for people with normal hearing in specific situations, such as hunting, bird-watching, or hearing distant conversations. They are not medical devices and are not intended, tested, or approved to treat hearing loss.
In Canada, PSAPs are not regulated as hearing aids under Health Canada's medical device framework. They do not require audiological assessment, customized programming, or fitting verification. The amplification they provide is generic, not calibrated to an individual's hearing profile based on an audiogram. While PSAPs are less expensive than clinically prescribed hearing aids, using them as a substitute when a person has measurable hearing loss carries risk. They can over-amplify some frequencies and under-amplify others.
People who suspect hearing loss should have a formal hearing assessment by a registered audiologist before purchasing any amplification device, to determine whether hearing aids or other interventions are appropriate.
