The distinction between hearing aids as a medical device and wireless earbuds as mass consumer product is vanishing. Starkey Hearing Technologies is bridging that divide with a new hearing aid that doubles as a fitness tracker, high quality headphones, and a language translator. That’s right: we’ve got Babble fish now!

Then, Paul talks with the founder of Pinpoint Pharma about their efforts to print prescription drugs for animals. Because of their precision equipment, they can make drug dosages more accurate than pharmacists can by hand, reducing the number of adverse side effects and doing so at a superior price point. What’s bizarre, though, is that the regulatory maze of health insurance means that this superior method will benefit pets before people.

Why are hearing aids avoided? Does hearing loss lead to cognitive decline? Can hearing aids have multiple functions? What are the latest medical devices and technologies hitting the market right now from start-ups? What can specialized pet medicine teach us about human medicine?

Further Reading:

Livio AI Hearing Aid, Starkey Hearing Technologies

Pinpoint Pharma website

Purdue affiliated startup commercializes drug dosage printer to improve personalized medicine production, cut side effects, Purdue Research Foundation

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