Deaths in Hyperbaric Therapy Prompt Multi-State Regulation Talks

A deadly explosion in a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber at The Oxford Center in a Detroit suburb killed 5-year-old Thomas Cooper and severely injured his mother, bringing national attention to the largely unregulated sector of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel charged four clinic employees, including the owner, with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, citing multiple ignored safety protocols. The tragedy, along with a similar fatality at an Arizona wellness clinic, highlights concerns about the surge in HBOT use outside hospitals, especially in wellness clinics offering off-label treatments without physician supervision. Approximately 1,200 hyperbaric medicine programs exist in the U.S., but only about 140 are accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society recognized by the FDA. While nearly a dozen states impose some safety standards, none require comprehensive accreditation or inspection of HBOT facilities, prompting lawmakers in states like Oregon to consider new regulations. The incidents have sparked calls for stricter oversight to prevent further preventable deaths in this growing but underregulated treatment area.