Hearing loss is a major global problem, but funding for research is relatively small. Why is this? And what can we do about it? The presentation of the HLAA 2024 Convention “Why is sensorineural hearing loss so difficult to treat?” raised several of these questions. Unfortunately, there are no good answers. But the tide may be turning. The national office of the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) is increasing its advocacy efforts on this issue.
Why I support hearing research
It is very important to me to support scientific research on hearing loss. Only through research will scientists discover new ways to prevent, treat and cure hearing loss. It fills me with hope to think about how this research will one day help people with hearing loss live an easier life.
I started supporting hearing loss research right after coming out of the hearing loss closet. As part of my advocacy efforts, I joined the Board of Hearing Health Foundation, where I helped start the Hearing Restoration Projecta collaborative scientific effort to find a biological cure for hearing loss. A few years later I began to support the Stanford Initiative to Cure Hearing Loss (SICHL) which has a similar collaborative philosophy. SICHL is making great strides on many fronts of hearing research, including, but not limited to, hearing restoration.
Too little public funding for hearing research
In 2023 and 2024, I served as a peer reviewer for the Hearing Restoration Research Program (HRRP), which is part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) led by the Department of Defense (DoD). The most exciting part was seeing all the interest in hearing research within the scientific community. Many more projects were submitted than could be financed. But that was also the frustrating part, especially when comparing CDMRP funds allocated to hearing research relative to other conditions.
This slide from the HLAA Convention presentation shows that only $5 million of CDMRP funds were allocated to hearing restoration research in FY24, making it one of the smallest areas. This baffles me, since hearing loss and tinnitus are the number one and two war injuries reported by veterans. HRRP is a Department of Defense funding mechanism. I hoped the audience would be more focused.
And the budget for hearing research has been reduced. When the HRRP program began in 2017, $10 million was allocated to hearing research. Today it is half that level. Both slides are courtesy of Dr. Quntian”tian” Wangprogram director for both HRRP and vision Investigation Program.
What can we do about it?
Dr. Wang’s presentation at the convention lit a fire among attendees, who wanted to help get more attention (and more funding) for future research projects in the hearing space. While the primary mission of the DoD program is to help reduce the burden of hearing loss on service members and veterans, any research they conduct will also help us all with hearing loss!
HLAA is taking action and recently joined the Defense Health Research Consortium (DHRC), a group of 127 patient advocacy organizations advocating for full funding of the CDMRP in the 2025 budget, which includes the HRRP. Hopefully these efforts will not only help raise awareness of this important funding mechanism, but will lead to additional allocations for hearing research in the future.
How can you help? Contact HLAA Public Policy Director Neil Snyder for more information.
Readers, do you support increased funding for hearing loss research?
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