TROY, Mich. – In response to a tragic incident that claimed the life of 5-year-old Thomas Cooper, two Metro Detroit state lawmakers are set to introduce legislation this spring to establish oversight of hyperbaric oxygen chambers in Michigan.
---> ‘Parent’s worst nightmare’: Family of 5-year-old killed in Troy hyperbaric chamber demands answers
The boy died in a hyperbaric explosion at the Oxford Center in Troy last January, raising serious concerns about the safety regulations governing these facilities.
“As a mother of a 5-year-old and a 9-year-old, I know the area around the Oxford Center well. I was shocked and horrified to learn about what this family has gone through,” Democratic State Senator Stephanie Chang of Detroit stated.
Chang is working on the legislation with Democratic State Rep. Sharon MacDonell of Troy, where the incident happened.
About a dozen other states have hyperbaric chamber regulations.
About a dozen other states have hyperbaric chamber regulations. The legislation would restrict hyperbaric services to facilities accredited by the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS).
Currently, only two facilities in Michigan hold this accreditation, and neither is in Metro Detroit.
“We want experts to inspect these facilities to ensure proper safety measures are in place. It cannot be just a visual inspection or a simple checklist. It must involve someone who truly understands the complexities of what these facilities are supposed to do,” Chang said.
The UHMS expressed support for increased regulatory oversight and enforcement.
“We are advocating for the mandatory accreditation of all hyperbaric facilities to ensure patient safety. Our position is that hyperbaric centers operating without UHMS accreditation should neither be reimbursed by insurance carriers nor permitted to provide hyperbaric treatments within their respective states,” UHMS president Dr. Owen O’Neill said in a statement.
UHMS is collaborating with regulatory bodies to establish state licensing criteria for hyperbaric medicine facilities to avoid similar incidents in Troy in the future, according to the statement.
The founder and CEO of the Oxford Center, Tamela Peterson, along with employees Gary Marken and Jeffrey Mosteller, are facing second-degree murder charges related to the incident. Another staff member, Aleta Moffitt, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and falsifying records.
Fieger Law is representing Cooper’s family. Managing partner James Harrington said he urges state lawmakers to pass legislation to regulate hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilities.
