Prevention of hearing loss in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis

In their Lancet Review, Blake S Wilson and colleagues (July 10)1 describe the growing global burden of hearing loss caused by a range of possible factors. The use of ototoxic medication is a considerable contributor to hearing loss for both children and adults. The authors suggest a primary prevention strategy for reducing hearing loss, which includes the use of ototoxic drugs only when no alternatives are available and only for serious conditions.