Nine people who received counterfeit Botox were hospitalized across the country, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. Photo courtesy of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/
Release
April 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it is investigating nearly 20 reports of people experiencing adverse effects from injections of counterfeit Botox.
The federal agency announced its investigation Monday in a statement, saying at least 19 people in nine states have reported experiencing harmful reactions to injections of botulinum toxin, better known as Botox, from unlicensed or untrained individuals in non-healthcare settings, including homes and spas.
All 19 reported cases were women, the vast majority of whom said they received the injections for cosmetic purposes.
Nine of them were hospitalized, of which four were treated with botulism antitoxin over worries that the botulinum toxin may have spread from the injection site, it said.
Botulism is a rare though serious illness caused by a toxin that is produced by the same bacterium used in Botox and which attacks the body's nerves and could result in death.
The CDC said the cases were reported in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Washington.
Some of the issues the cases cited include blurry or double vision, drooping eyelids, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, slurred speech, difficulty breathing, fatigue and generalized weakness.
The CDC is urging those considering Botox to ask their provider if they are licensed and trained to perform the procedure and if the product they are using is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
