Health Officials Alert: Faulty Botox Injections Cause Nationwide Concern

Nineteen people from nine states have reported adverse reactions to cosmetic injections, generally known as Botox, delivered by unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-medical settings, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday. Some people received injections containing counterfeit or mismanaged products.

Nine persons were hospitalized, and four were treated with botulism antitoxin, due to worries that the botulinum toxin had spread beyond the injection site, according to the agency.

Reactions to the products occurred in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Washington.

According to the CDC, all 19 persons identify as female and are between the ages of 25 and 59. All except one reported having the injection for cosmetic reasons.

The agency, together with other state and local health authorities and the US Food and Drug Administration, are looking into the reports.

The CDC recommends asking providers and locations, such as clinics or spas, if they are licensed and trained to provide the injections. It also recommends inquiring whether the product is FDA-approved and bought from a reputable source. If in doubt, the agency advises against getting the injection.

Botulism is an uncommon but serious disease caused by toxins produced by bacteria that assault the neurological system. Symptoms may include hazy or double vision, droopy eyelids, difficulty breathing, weariness, slurred speech, or hoarseness. Muscle paralysis can worsen over hours to days if left untreated and is potentially lethal.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Botox and comparable cosmetic treatments include Clostridium botulinum bacteria. The FDA has cleared the purified form of the botulinum toxin for use by licensed healthcare professionals as a cosmetic therapy, according to a news release issued last week.