Broadly, these are the challenges to finding a cure:
1. finding a cure -
a. using stem cell (human ear nerve recently grow in UK Uni lab)
b. using gene (injecting turn-on gene and suppressing turn-off gene)
c. brain material (recently discovered)
this is the link for the brain material which can be transplanted to the ear :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7770665.stm
2. Delivery of treatment to ear cochlea where damaged ear hair cell is
3. Volunteers
4. Funding.
For 1 , I understand that there are at least 20 to 30 teams of scientists in different countries looking at hearing loss. Perhaps a solution is just round the corner.
For 2, If a potential treatment can be delivered to a guinea pig inner ear , the same technique should be able to be used on human
For 3, I am sure there are plenty of volunteers who will sign a no-liabiliy contract to try out whatever trials there is. I can volunter also.
For 4, with at least 10 million hearing loss (due to nerve damage) sufferers in the developed and developing countries (like US, UK, European countries, Japan, Korea, ), can't we all group up and donate at least $1 each and there will be a working captial of at least $10 m annually ? May be the problem is not lack of funding but the sufferers do not know that the scientists need money and the sufferes do not know how to donate ?
Some one should start something
From : ***@****