It turns out that the popular cosmetic treatment Botox may have some ugly side effects, especially when used for off-label treatments. A class action lawsuit has been filed in California by Botox users against its manufacturer, Allergan Inc., alleging failure to warn, along with several other individual cases.
The lawyers for the plaintiffs in California claim three deaths associated with Botox use. In Texas, a 69-year-old nurse died after getting Botox injections for her neck and shoulder pain, as well as a 7-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who was receiving the shots to control the spasms caused by her disease. In Arizona, a 71-year-old woman died after losing the ability to speak or swallow, most likely caused by a cosmetic Botox treatment she received in a mall clinic.
Botox comes from botulinum toxin Type A, which in its raw form, is a very deadly poison. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration almost 20 years ago for soothing wrinkles. The FDA warned back in back in February that they were investigating reports of serious reactions in botulinum-based drugs such as Botox and Myobloc.
The consumer group Public Citizen reports 16 deaths due to Botox (or Myobloc) between 1997 and 2006 as well as 180 patients that developed life-threatening conditions and 87 hospitalizations.
Most reports of adverse side-effects due to Botox treatment have come out of off-label use. Though Botox is essentially only approved to treat wrinkles, some doctors use it to treat migraines, spasms and pain.