According to a health advocacy group, 16 deaths have been associated with Botox and other similar drugs.
Four of the deaths have reportedly involved children and there have been several instances of serious injuries linked with the drugs.
Drug Side Effects
The group, Public Citizen, suggested in a recent petition that Botox should have a stronger label warning patients of potential risks.
Although Botox is best known as being a wrinkle remover, the drug, which is a neurotoxin that helps relax the muscles, is also used to treat cervical dystonia.
Cervical dystonia is an intense knotting of the muscles in the neck and Botox is often injected into multiple areas of the neck to help relieve the pain.
However, the injection sites can sometimes come close to the esophagus and can cause partial paralysis in patients.
Patients Should Be Better Informed
Dr. Sidney M. Wolfem the director of Public Citizen’s health research group believes that if patients were better informed about the dangers of Botox, some of these deaths could have been prevented.
“The labels for Botox and Myobloc mention the issue but not prominently enough,” says Dr. Wolfe. “Nobody should die from the medical use of Botox, the fact that they are shows that patients don’t have a clue about these problems.”
(Source: The New York Times)
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