Counterfeit Botox causing harmful reactions across country, CDC says
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning users of Botox about several reports of harmful reactions linked to counterfeit or mishandled products.
Botox injections, which are used to prevent a muscle from moving for a limited time and are often used to smooth wrinkles or treat spasms, are made from the same toxin that causes the potentially deadly food poisoning known as botulism, according to the Mayo Clinic.
As of April 12, nine people have been hospitalized and four people received antitoxin treatment for symptoms of botulism.
In all, 19 people have been reported to have experienced harmful reactions, mostly among those who had injections administered by unlicensed or improperly trained individuals in non-health care settings like homes or spas.
States to report harmful reactions include Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Washington.
The CDC says it is investigating the issue alongside the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The CDC is reminding those who regularly received Botox injections to only trust FDA-approved products administered in professional health care settings by licensed and trained professionals.
Those who use Botox for medical reasons should consult their primary care doctors, while those who use it for cosmetic reasons should make sure the person administering the injection is licensed and trained. Some states may have a license look-up tool to find appropriate credentials, the CDC says.
Consumers should also ask their provider where the product is sourced and whether it is FDA-approved.
“If in doubt, don’t get the injection,” the CDC said.
Symptoms of botulism include trouble swallowing, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech and difficulty breathing. Those symptoms are often followed by muscle weakness that progresses the span of several hours or days.
If you have symptoms of botulism, you are urged to immediately visit a hospital emergency room.
For more information about the outbreak of harmful reactions, click here.
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