There are six public hospitals and two private ones in Israel that are licensed by the Health Ministry to operate hyperbaric (high-pressure) oxygen chambers. But there are also illegal, unsupervised ones that exist in private clinics and even homes around the country and make false claims. Those who own and run them are liable to be committing a criminal act.
Treatment in unlicensed chambers may harm the health of the patients and endanger their lives, the ministry said. Such treatment can cause damage to the lungs, eyes, ears and sinuses, as well as to the various bodily systems. The ministry warns the public against undergoing treatment in establishments that have not received its approval to function.
The ones with a license are found in Shamir (Assaf Harofeh) Medical Center in Tzrifin; Josephthal Medical Center in Eilat; Hadassah-University Medical Center in Jerusalem; Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center; and the private hyperbaric oxygen chambers and the Maritime Medical Center on the Rambam Health Care Campus Elisha Hospital in Haifa.
Some of the illegal hyperbaric chambers hide their location, and they provide their address only when potential patients make an appointment. The treatment in these places is done without essential medical supervision, the ministry warned.
"Moderate-pressure" chambers have no medical basis
Recently, it fielded several complaints about publications claiming that hyperbaric chambers “successfully” treat depression, diabetes, cancer, post-trauma, improving the immune system, and more. The ministry declared that these diseases and conditions are not included in the accepted indications for treatment in a pressure chamber that include air or gas embolism, wounds that are difficult to heal (including diabetic wound treatment), and radiation damage to soft tissue and bone. The treatment is given only after licensed medical experts in the field and with their supervision.
As operating unlicensed pressure chambers violate the law, the ministry said it works all the time with enforcement agencies, to find and close them. Among these are companies that advertise that they offer “moderate-pressure” oxygen – but this is without any medical basis and misleads the public. Medical treatment may be given only qualified medical professionals and in places that have received ministry licenses.
Activity of unlicensed pressure chambers should be reported to agaf.tech@moh.gov.il