PRESS RELEASE

Biohealth opens up hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) safety practices – clarifies differences between mild and hospital-grade treatment

Espoo, September 4, 2025 – Referring to the Safety and Chemicals Agency Tukes’ release of August 21, 2025, Biohealth wishes to constructively clarify how a professional operator — such as Biohealth — ensures the safety of treatments, particularly HBOT, in practice.

The Safety and Chemicals Agency Tukes issued a statement on August 21, 2025, about the risks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which has attracted considerable media attention. We have reviewed both the statement and the claims presented in the media and wish to correct some of them. At the same time, we explain how our practices prevent the mentioned risks — such as the danger of oxygen fire — and ensure treatment safety from start to finish. The most important point we emphasize is that serious hyperbaric oxygen therapy accidents have occurred with hospital-grade 100% oxygen chambers at higher pressures than in mild hyperbaric oxygen chambers, such as those used at Biohealth. Since the statement specifically warns about mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy, it is essential to note that no accidents involving fires are known to have occurred with mild HBOT.

We welcome all work that increases awareness and safety — there are many types of providers in the field. However, we are puzzled that in the statement, and in recent news reports, two fundamentally different types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers were conflated in relation to fatal risks. Even a long-standing physician in the field and a medical journal have intentionally and incorrectly referred to hospital-grade oxygen fire deaths in a way that creates the impression they occurred in mild HBOT. When matters are not presented correctly and/or not corrected by professionals or authorities, and not shown in light of the facts, the approach clearly amounts to scaremongering consumers and undermining the activities of wellness entrepreneurs.

From the beginning, Biohealth has operated on a safety-first principle, which is why we possess exceptionally strong expertise and clear procedures. We do not oppose the creation of national safety standards — on the contrary: we already operate according to internationally high safety standards and do not want a single accident in Finland to occur due to inadequate practices by unskilled providers.

Background on the fire risk raised in the statement

Based on information we have obtained from the USA, serious accidents last year and otherwise involving hyperbaric chamber oxygen fires have specifically concerned 100% oxygen chambers — not mild HBOT chambers. We continuously monitor the field. The FDA has also recently emphasized compliance with safety guidelines — precisely the ones already followed at Biohealth.

In connection with hyperbaric training, and as the owner of a clinic closely following the field and providing hyperbaric therapy, I am not aware of a single accident caused by a fire in mild HBOT. Long-term investigations and AI-generated summaries confirm the same conclusion. If such a case were to appear in the past or future, it would be an extremely rare exception.

Looking at mild HBOT chambers (1.3–1.5 ATA, no 100% oxygen inside the chamber), accidents are almost exclusively mechanical: zippers breaking, valves sticking, or doors not opening. These cause rapid depressurization and difficulty exiting, but no fires or fatal accidents have been reported. The serious accidents highlighted in the media (e.g., USA 2025) have concerned hard chambers where patients breathe 100% oxygen at significantly higher pressures — not within the scope of mild HBOT.

How we ensure HBOT safety at Biohealth

1. No 100% O₂ pumped into chambers: The oxygen level inside a mild HBOT chamber is typically 30–35%, while the client breathes 90–95% oxygen via a mask. The chamber air is not highly flammable 100% oxygen, and our devices do not pump pure oxygen from external tanks into the chamber. Our devices operate at (only) 1.5 ATA, whereas hospital-grade chambers reach much higher pressures (over 2.5 ATA), further increasing ignition risk inside hospital chambers.
   Importantly, 1.3–1.5 ATA devices have documented and studied benefits in supporting wellness, vitality, recovery, and inflammation control. The latest study ( https://hbotusa.com/hbot-research-low-vs-high-pressure-surprising-results/ ) from this year has clearly not yet reached Finnish experts.

2. Monitoring and processes: Treatments at Biohealth are never self-administered. We follow manufacturer guidelines to the letter, treatments are monitored by trained staff, and the client is supervised throughout.

3. Prohibited items and contraindications: We use 100% cotton blankets (less static than synthetic materials), instruct clients to remove jewelry, and conduct a health screening before treatment. We review key contraindications (e.g., serious lung and heart disease) and when necessary require a doctor’s prescription.

4. No phones/electronics in the chamber: Even though some manufacturers allow phones in mild HBOT chambers, we take a stricter line: no phones or electrical devices are brought into the chamber unless pressure-tested and proven essential. This follows international safety and precautionary principles — and we do not recommend any provider to act otherwise.

Exceptionally comprehensive training, expertise, and equipment

Biohealth’s treatment staff are IBUM-certified (International Board of Undersea Medicine):

• Functional Medicine Hyperbaric Practitioner (our ICU nurse)

• Basic Hyperbaric Technician × 3 (all other treatment staff)

• Safety Director (owner, CEO)

Our multidisciplinary team — supervising physician, nurse, physiotherapist, and osteopath — makes us pioneers of mild HBOT in Finland.

We use new-generation, properly maintained, and manufacturer-installed devices (all less than 1 year old). As we also sell devices, we know them deeply — from installation to use and maintenance. We train every client who purchases a chamber from us in safe use (installation, operation, maintenance, risk assessment). We want to ensure both our clinic clients and those who purchase devices for home use always receive safe treatment.

Mild HBOT is proven to be very safe and effective. For this reason, we publish this safety clarification and invite authorities to discuss clarifying future safety standards. It is important that future guidelines and reporting on mild HBOT are based on facts.

About Biohealth

Biohealth is a Finnish wellness company providing services through clinics and engaging in device sales. The company offers safe and advanced solutions to support wellness and vitality. In addition to mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), Biohealth provides advanced treatments and services based on international best practices to promote holistic wellness. Its operations are based on a safety-first principle, evidence-based therapies, IBUM-certified expertise, and the latest device technology. The company has also recently been registered in the national healthcare provider registry.

More information:
Sean Bergenheim, Founder & CEO
Biohealth Europe Oy
Sean@biohealth.fi
www.biohealth.fi