Washington, D.C. – Representative Edward J. Markey (D-MA), a senior Democrat on the House Energy & Commerce committee, spoke today at the National Press Club at an event organized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to bring attention to the important issue of noise induced hearing loss caused by portable music players, with an emphasis on the risks for our nation’s teens. Rep. Markey recently sent a letter to the National Institutes of Health requesting information on the risks such music players present and the best way for consumers to protect themselves, but was disappointed at the inadequate amount of research that currently exists on this potential problem.

“As someone who has spent much of my time in Congress promoting technological innovation and increased consumer choices, I see the innovation explosion in portable listening technology as a very positive development,” said Rep. Markey at today’s event. “But hearing loss caused by overuse of this technology could give this success story a major and entirely preventable black eye, so it is critically important that we work to determine the exact nature of the risk users of this technology face, as well as the best ways that consumers can protect themselves from noise induced hearing loss.

“I recently wrote a letter to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at the NIH asking for a review of the available literature on this issue,” Rep. Markey continued. “While their response agreed that this is an area of concern, it also made clear that there is a very real need for more research on this issue. We need to make sure that when millions of consumers are plugging up their ears to travel to work or work-out, they are not unknowingly taking on too much for their ears to handle.  I am seeking to find answers about the safety of this wonderful new technology to ensure that it is remembered for vast new innovation rather than entirely avoidable hearing loss.” 

For more information on Rep. Markey’s work on technological innovation and consumer protection, along with the full exchange of correspondence with the NIH, please visit http://markey.house.gov/

 Copy of Rep. Markey's Letter to the NIH (1/26/06) (77.09 KB)
 Copy of Response to Rep. Markey from the NIH (2/14/06) (383.64 KB)