CDC investigates possible fake Botox injections 

The Biden administration is conducting multi-state investigations into illnesses that may be linked to shots of botulinum toxin, also known as Botox, in at least two states.

Botox injections are performed in a “non-medical setting,” and the source of the product is still unknown, a spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed to The Hill.

The CDC is working with the Tennessee and Illinois health departments, where multiple cases of the botulism-like illness have been reported, a spokesperson said.

Botulism is a serious disease caused by a toxin known as Clostridium botulinum that targets the body’s nerves. According to the CDC. Symptoms usually include muscle weakness in the eyes, face, and throat, which may spread to the neck, arms, torso, and legs. It can also cause muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, and even death.

The disease is often treated with antivenom, the CDC added.

Botox injections contain a small amount of toxin. what is mandatory Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Illinois health officials this week Alert medical facilities Hospital emergency departments are being monitored for symptoms after two cases were reported in people who received injections of Botox or a “similar, possibly counterfeit” product.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, both patients experienced symptoms similar to botulism, including blurred vision, double vision, a drooping face, fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and a hoarse voice. The two were hospitalized and received shots from a licensed nurse in LaSalle County, Illinois, who was “acting outside of her authority,” the agency said.

Four patients in Tennessee also experienced botulism-like symptoms, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. announced last week. State health officials said investigations with the CDC and FDA raised concerns about the use of counterfeit products and products administered in “non-medical settings.”

The Tennessee Department of Health added that all four patients were seen by a health care provider and two were hospitalized.

The CDC said “laboratory-confirmed” cases of botulism after Botox injections are “rare.”

“Cosmetic injections are FDA-approved products and should be administered in an approved setting by a licensed provider,” a CDC spokesperson said.