Cochlear Limited obtained U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval on April 2 for its Remote Check solution. This approval is the first step in commercializing the product offering, which is anticipated by the end of 2020. Cochlear will immediately begin a controlled market release of Remote Check in the U.S. and Canada by partnering with hearing healthcare providers and hospitals to quickly reach those most in need of audiological care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which supports social distancing by providing an alternative to in-person appointments.

A clinician can choose to assign any of the following activities for their patient to complete as part of their Remote Check: Photographing the implant site and the area behind the ear; Completing questionnaires to gather information about general health and hearing; Taking an audiogram test to precisely measure the softest levels heard across a range of frequencies; Taking a listening-in-noise test to objectively assess hearing ability by identifying three-digit numbers presented in varying levels of background noise; and Impedance Check to assess the performance of the implant.