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Jan 25, 2008 6:00 pm US/Eastern
Health: Botox Warning
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
In health, Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl has details regarding a storm of reaction following a warning about Botox from a consumer group.
Millions of people have been safely injected with Botox, it is FDA cleared to treat wrinkles and other medical conditions like muscle contractions. But one group said it is dangerous and stronger warnings are needed.
Botox injections have become one of the most popular cosmetic treatments, a quick shot to smooth wrinkles.
"It gives me a more youthful appearance," said Khadijah Brown who gets Botox treatments.
But a health advocacy group, Public Citizen, said patients should be warned the botulism poison in Botox that paralyzes muscles can be dangerous.
"Nobody should be dying of Botox, and they wouldn't be dying if the government and companies were doing a better job," said Dr. Sidney Wolfe, Director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group.
The group has petitioned the FDA to put its strongest warning, a black box label, on Botox claiming it can cause everything from muscle weakness to difficulty swallowing, even death.
"This very powerful neurotoxin migrates from where it is injected to the esophagus, paralyzes the esophagus, you can't swallow. You may choke, cough up food, water goes into your lungs you get pneumonia and can die," said Dr. Wolfe.
After reviewing FDA data, Public Citizen said 180 people developed life threatening conditions after receiving injections, including 16 deaths.
But in 15 of the deaths cited by Public Citizen, the drug was used for medical purposes, not wrinkle treatment, and dermatologists say the scientific evidence just doesn't support this kind of consumer scare.
"The though of dying from Botox Cosmetic I don't think should enter someone's mind at this point in time. The adverse effects we get are generally minor, limited to maybe some bruising and short term headache," said Dermatologist John Romano.
The maker of Botox said there are no new safety issues that are not already addressed in the labeling for Botox.
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