Botox Treatments Related to Deaths?

Health Canada is currently investigating the deaths of five individuals who were injected with Botox and eight others who had serious reactions. All of the deaths involved people who were being treated for neck and muscle spasms.

Two of these occurred in children who had cerebral palsy, including a nine-year-old who was given Botox to treat his drooling--a condition for which treatment with botox has not been approved. These reactions suggest that the botulinum toxin might have spread to other parts of the body from where it was injected.

Adverse reactions to the Botox treatments included throat swelling, respiratory arrest, difficulty swallowing and aspiration pneumonia.

Allergan Inc., the makers of Botox, say that reported adverse reactions are rare and don't necessary provide a viable link.

However, Health Canada announced that it would be conducting an ongoing safety review of Botox in February, following reports from the U.S. linking Botox and another drug, Myobloc, to adverse reactions, including respiratory failure and death.

The deaths included three women in their 60s who all had underlying medical conditions such as cerebral palsy

Health Canada is currently asking physicians to report any adverse reactions suspected of being associated with Botox or Botox Cosmetic.