Beware Bad Botox: 3 Sickened, 1 In ICU After NYC Injections

NEW YORK CITY — Beware unlicensed "Botox" injections, warned New York City health officials after three city dwellers fell ill with botulism-like symptoms, including one who went to the ICU.

The warning Friday came as 19 people nationwide reported harmful reactions from botulinum toxin injections — an outbreak that hospitalized nine and led to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention probe.

The three cases in New York City are under investigation, and at least one involved an injection by an unlicensed person, city health officials said.

All three people went to emergency rooms, and two were hospitalized, with one being admitted to an intensive care unit.

"Though it may seem simple, botulinum toxin injections are a medical procedure," said city Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan, in a statement.

"New Yorkers should not be getting injections from friends or at parties, and they should not be getting them from non-medical professionals such as beauticians or aestheticians. A price that is too good to be true, or if a service provider does not explain the risks and side effects of the procedure, are clear warning signs that the products or services may not be legitimate and could pose a risk to your health."

All three affected people received injections with botulinum toxin, commonly called "Botox," in their face, neck, upper back or armpits between Feb. 8 and Feb. 28, officials said.

Their symptoms, which began days to weeks later, included double vision, drooping eyelids, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness of voice, shortness of breath and difficulty raising their arms.

The wider outbreak appears tied to injections of counterfeit or mishandled botulinum toxin, CDC and Food and Drug Administration officials said.

FDA officials said the counterfeit Botox boxes appear to duplicate authentic AbbVie products. Click here for more information on how to identify the counterfeit product.

"Currently, there is no indication that the reported events were linked to AbbVie’s FDA-approved Botox, and the genuine product should be considered safe and effective for its intended and approved uses," an FDA notice states.