WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators have finalized a long-awaited rule that’s expected to allow millions of Americans to buy hearing aids without a prescription. The rule announced Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration goes into effect this fall. The action creates a new class of hearing aids that don’t require a medical exam, a prescription and other specialty services. Instead the devices will be sold online or over-the-counter at pharmacies and other retail stores. The move follows years of pressure from medical experts and consumer advocates to make the devices cheaper and easier to get.