The untimely death of five-year-old Thomas Cooper in a hyperbaric chamber fire at an alternative medicine clinic in Michigan has ignited calls for greater oversight and regulation of the wellness industry, particularly concerning hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilities operating outside traditional healthcare settings. The incident occurred on January 31 at the Oxford Center, located in Troy, a suburb of Detroit. Following the fire, which resulted in Thomas’ death within seconds, the founder, CEO, and three employees of the center were charged, drawing sharp public and legal scrutiny toward the lack of safety protocols in place.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, is FDA-approved for a limited number of medical conditions, including carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, and severe wounds. Despite its legitimate uses, the therapy carries significant risk due to the flammable nature of pure oxygen. However, many wellness centers, including the Oxford Center, market the treatment for a wide range of unapproved conditions, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and autism. Thomas was reportedly undergoing therapy for sleep apnea and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder—neither of which are approved indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy under FDA guidelines.
The lack of regulatory oversight in Michigan became evident in the wake of this tragedy. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel remarked during a press conference that current state laws do not mandate any form of inspection or certification for businesses operating hyperbaric chambers unless there is specific cause to investigate. Consequently, many of these facilities operate without any external evaluation of their equipment, safety procedures, or staff qualifications. The Oxford Center had been inspected by the Troy Fire Department, but these inspections focused solely on fire safety and not on the operation or maintenance of the chambers themselves.
Nationally, only a fraction of facilities offering hyperbaric therapy are accredited by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society, which enforces strict safety and training standards. Accreditation is voluntary and expensive, costing around $10,000, leading many wellness centers to forgo it. Experts estimate that thousands of unaccredited facilities are operating across the country, posing potential risks to patients who may not be aware of the lack of oversight.
In response to Thomas’ death, Michigan legislators Senator Stephanie Chang and Representative Sharon MacDonell are exploring the introduction of legislation aimed at closing the regulatory gaps. They emphasize the need for not only enforcing safety standards but also curbing misleading claims about the efficacy of hyperbaric therapy for unapproved conditions. They argue that vulnerable families seeking help for difficult-to-treat conditions are being exploited by unproven and potentially dangerous treatments.
This tragedy is not the first of its kind. In 2009, a similar fire in Florida claimed the lives of a child and his grandmother during hyperbaric treatment for cerebral palsy at another unaccredited facility. Despite that incident, no national safety standards were enacted. Industry leaders hope that the death of Thomas Cooper will finally prompt legislative action to ensure mandatory accreditation and regulation for all hyperbaric therapy providers.
Currently, no federal body consistently regulates hyperbaric therapy facilities outside of hospitals. While the FDA does oversee the manufacture of certain hyperbaric chambers classified as medical devices, it does not regulate how they are used in practice. Likewise, other agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission, only enforce safety standards in facilities affiliated with Medicare or formal healthcare settings.
As the investigation into Thomas’ death continues, public outcry grows over the evident regulatory void. Advocacy groups and medical experts are urging lawmakers to act swiftly, warning that without stronger oversight, more lives could be endangered by unregulated and inadequately supervised alternative therapy providers.
