Health store offers hyperbaric therapy despite lack of evidence

An Edmonton health store is offering hyperbaric therapy for the treatment of everything from autism to cancer, despite a lack of scientific proof about its efficacy.

Hyperbarictherapyusespure oxygen to alleviate symptoms of various ailments. While there's no evidence it actually works, some of those who've tried the therapy at SimplyHealth say it works.

"I don't like to guarantee anything, but you know what? Since I've been through it it's helped, I feel much better," said Sam Eid, who tried hyperbaric therapy after seeing it advertised outside the store.

Simply Health ownerSunny Betra claims the therapy can be used to treat things like Lyme disease, autism and cancer,but admits he has noproof to back up the claim.

"I'm pretty confident on that it can help to treat the cancer," Betra said.

Edmonton's Misericordia Hospital has the province's only in-hospital hyperbaricchamber and a long list of patients waiting to use it.

While many of those waiting for hyperbaric therapy at the hospital are cancer patients, Dr. Malcolm Yuong says the oxygen is used for recovery from radiation treatments rather than actually treating the cancer itself.

Despite a lack of evidence about hyperbaric therapy's effects on cancer, Young says he doesn't believe Betra is doing anything unethical by offering the treatments.

"If he convinces them that the hyperbaric unit is going to work, it very well may," Young said. "The placebo effect is incredible and I don't think as physicians we know its full extent."