New treatments for deafness based on genetics

The Society views as desirable any form of research into gene-based therapy that might allow parents the choice of reducing the impact of deafness on their deaf child’s social and educational development.

We recognise that, if any form of gene-based therapy for deafness does become available in the future, the resulting improvement of hearing could possibly be more permanent than that afforded by cochlear implants or hearing aids.

If this were to occur, it would pose different ethical dimensions to the choices involved; for most parents this will make the decision to use such an intervention method more complex.