Medical Use of Over-the-Counter Canned Oxygen: A Review of Public Comments

Over-the-counter (OTC) oxygen canisters are marketed to assist with recovery after exercise, alleviate mild altitude sickness, and be included in first aid kits, all without the need for a prescription. However, they are not approved for medical use. We describe the use of OTC non-medical oxygen for medical purposes, as reported through online reviews.

We reviewed a convenience sample of the most recent 200 online public reviews of the same non-medical canned oxygen product on two different popular web-based platforms (Amazon.com pulled on May 30, 2024, and TrustPilot.com pulled on June 2, 2024) for a single, commonly purchased OTC oxygen product. Two authors independently screened the reviews, extracted information, and assessed reported use for medical purposes (yes or no) and any response. Agreement on medical use was calculated using Cohen's kappa. Medical reviews were categorized, and the frequency was reported.

After excluding three reviews for lack of text, 48 of the 197 (24.3%) reviews were identified as being used for a medical purpose with 97% agreement between the reviewers. Medical reviews included terms such as shortness of breath/breathing (n=26), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n=11), and asthma (n=5). Reviewers reported the use of canned oxygen as a substitute for prescribed medical oxygen and breathing difficulty to avoid going to an emergency department.

Despite warning labels advising that the product is not approved for medical use, self-reported use included potential medical indications. Clinicians should advise patients of product limitations and potential risks when OTC oxygen is used as a substitute for medical oxygen and emergency care.