Things change. In the last few years, Internet merchandising has seen some new distribution channels for hearing aids starting to gain traction. In some cases, the devices have been referred to as self-fitting though in reality, many have been indistinguishable from the complex devices that highly skilled clinicians fit. This special issue deals with some of the issues involved in creating a truly self-fitting hearing aid-one that requires no person other than the aid wearer, and no test equipment other than the hearing aid. The concept for such a device is described in the first article in this issue by Convery, Keidser, Dillon, and Hartley. Although a truly self-fitting hearing aid would unquestionably not be for everyone, the diversity of clients seen in any practice raises the question of whether such devices would be suitable for some clients, and whether for these clients, outcomes comparable with those achieved by highly skilled clinicians could be produced.
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