Fake Botox injections have sickened 22, hospitalized 11, CDC warns

In recent months, 22 people across 11 U.S. states have developed symptoms like blurry vision and shortness of breath after getting "counterfeit or mishandled" Botox injections outside medical settings, such as in spas and people's homes.

In an advisory issued Tuesday (April 23), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted doctors to an ongoing investigation it's conducting with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and state and local Health officials. The agency reported that 11 of the affected people were hospitalized and no one has died; the cases happened between November 2023 and late March 2024.

None of the 22 people met the official case definition for botulism. This rare and potentially fatal illness occurs when botulinum toxin circulates in the blood and then damages the body's nerves. Botulinum toxin used in medical treatments and cosmetic procedures, known as Botox, causes botulism only very rarely, but it is possible.

Several of the sickened people were still given the antitoxin that treats botulism, just in case, because side effects from poorly administered Botox can resemble some of the early symptoms of the condition. Such symptoms can include blurred and double vision, constipation, incontinence, shortness of breath, weakness and difficulty lifting one's head.

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Initial reports of these botched Botox injections came out earlier in the month, with Tennessee and Illinois reporting cases of botulism-like illness. New York City later issued similar reports.

After investigating, the FDA issued a warning that "unsafe counterfeit versions of Botox" had been found in several states and were reportedly being used for cosmetic procedures. The agency included photos of some of the counterfeit products in its statement. "The products appear to have been purchased from unlicensed sources," the FDA noted.