Summary
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is tracked by OSMF as an investigational option for Long COVID; no regulator has approved it for this indication, and most post-viral conditions have no approved disease-modifying therapy at all. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 4 registered trials linking Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) to Long COVID: 1 is currently recruiting; 1 has completed; 2 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT06267300, sponsored by Erasmus Medical Center). The largest enrolment is 120 participants (NCT06452095). Registration activity spans 2021 to 2026. The literature layer holds 2 publications for this pair: 2 curated references. The dated items are from 2026. Items here are search-derived or curated references rather than classified trial reports; treat them as leads to read, not as graded evidence.
Long COVID / PASC is tracked on the OSMF post-viral programme alongside ME/CFS, Long COVID, POTS and MCAS. Across the programme, 423 candidate agents are logged for Long COVID, most of them preliminary; this page isolates the record for one of them.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | B · Moderate |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 24.0 (trials 11.0, literature 3.0, tier 10, approved bonus 0.0) |
| Registered trials | 4 total: 1 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 1 completed, 2 other |
| Linked publications | 2 (2 curated references) |
| Agent type | Behavioural (Behavioral / Protocol / Exercise, Medical Device) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Investigational |
| Mechanism / class | Neurological / Autonomic |
| Data sources | OSMF therapeutic agent database, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed |
| Also known as | Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06267300 | Treatment of Post-COVID-19 With Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: a Randomized, Controlled Trial Erasmus Medical Center · 2024 | status unknown | Phase 3 | 120 |
| NCT04842448 | Safety and Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Long COVID Syndrome Karolinska University Hospital · 2021 | completed | Phase 2 | 80 |
| NCT04905888 | Hyperbaric Oxygen for Long COVID-19 Pulmonary Sequela Peter Lindholm · 2021 | withdrawn | Phase 2 | — |
| NCT06452095 | Recovering From COVID-19 Lingering Symptoms Adaptive Integrative Medicine Trial - Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for the Treatment of P University Health Network, Toronto · 2026 | recruiting | Not applicable | 120 |
Published literature
- Curated reference (OSMF) Hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves clinical symptoms and functional capacity and modulates thalamic connectivity in ME/CFS: a prospective co2026
- Curated reference PubMed record PMID 42249466
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: Neurological / Autonomic.
Clinical notes: Investigational for listed conditions. 5 associated trial(s) and 1 study reference(s) in current data. Review primary sources and consult specialists before use.
Safety: Limited specific safety data in these populations. Review full prescribing information and consult specialist. Many agents used off-label or investigational.
Dosing in studies: See linked studies/trials for reported doses and durations; typical protocols vary widely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) approved for Long COVID?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is tracked by OSMF as an investigational option for Long COVID; no regulator has approved it for this indication, and most post-viral conditions have no approved disease-modifying therapy at all. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in clinical trials for Long COVID?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 4 registered trials linking Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) to Long COVID: 1 is currently recruiting; 1 has completed; 2 are terminated, withdrawn, suspended or of unknown status. The most advanced is Phase 3 (NCT06267300, sponsored by Erasmus Medical Center). The largest enrolment is 120 participants (NCT06452095). Registration activity spans 2021 to 2026.
What does the evidence show for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in Long COVID?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has 1 completed trial and 2 linked publications for Long COVID. Completed trials may or may not have posted results; follow the NCT links to check. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is B (Moderate), taken from the OSMF therapeutic agent database, which grades agents by the volume and design of condition-specific evidence rather than by effect size.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-10-07. Page built 2026-10-07.