Veterans Affairs plans to start a new PTSD treatment using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to evaluate efficacy for nationwide use.

Use of HBOT to treat PTSD will be used on a small number of veterans through the VA Center for Compassionate Innovation (CCI). The agency will treat veterans at Oklahoma State Medical Center and the David Grant Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base located outside of Sacramento, California.

As stated, hyperbaric treatment for PTSD is off-label. This means the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved this type of therapy for PTSD. However, according to VA, health care providers can make use of HBOT if they believe it is medically appropriate. Right now, VA maintains some veterans with PTSD do benefit.

CCI played a role in coordinating the agency and community resources to use HBOT on a subset of veterans with persistent PTSD despite the use of two evidence-based treatments for the condition. VA is assessing the effectiveness of HBOT to evaluate using the therapy nationwide..