Julie, I don't have those privileges, yet, but that's ok.
Do you mind if I use part of the text below as a comment in my story about OTCs?

"As stated in a different post, my hearing loss is profound so OTC products are not going to work for me. However, I know enough about them to realize that many of the OTC products available now are similar to the hearing instruments I was fit with back in the 1970s. In the early stages of progressive hearing loss those aids were helpful as they amplified speech I struggled to hear. They did not clarify it though. Today's more sophisticated products can be adjusted to help with clarification but in places where background noise is prevalent, they still function as 'aids' rather than solutions.

The key to hearing in noisy environments remains by using add on technology that brings the desired sound direct to a person's hearing instruments. Kind of like 'binoculars for the ears'. That is why BlueTooth and telecoils can make such a positive difference in settings where they work. It keeps getting better, but we are not there yet!"

I would attribute it to "Julie, Volunteer Mentor on MayoClinic.com's Hearing Loss discussion group"