'Faux-tox'? Fake Botox is the cause of illnesses in at least nine states, FDA says
Fake Botox is behind 19 reports of vision problems and difficulty breathing and swallowing in at least nine states, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
Fake Botox is behind 19 reports of vision problems and difficulty breathing and swallowing in at least nine states, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
The products in question were obtained from unlicensed sources, and "may be misbranded, adulterated, counterfeit, contaminated, improperly stored and transported, ineffective and/or unsafe," the agency wrote on its website.
"The sources of these products are unverified and unknown, which is why this situation is certainly concerning," said Michelle Waltenburg, senior botulism epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Waltenburg is working with the FDA and state health departments in the investigation.
Cases have been detected in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee and Washington.
There is no indication that authentic Botox, made by the drugmaker AbbVie, is linked to any of the illnesses. That product, the FDA said, "should be considered safe and effective for its intended and approved uses."
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