Who is Affected by Botox Side Effects?

Botox and Myobloc have caused severe side effects in many patients. These Botox side effects resemble symptoms of botulism poisoning and include difficulty swallowing, respiratory failure, organ failure, muscle weakness, and death.

Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxin sold commercially under the brand names Botox and Myobloc. Drug maker Allergan markets Botulinum Toxin Type A under the names Botox, Botox Cosmetic, and Botox Theraputic, while Solstice Neurosciences manufactures Botulinum Toxin Type B under the name Myobloc.

Botox is approved by the FDA for cosmetic treatments and to be used in small doses to treat some types of muscle spasms. Approved uses of Botox, Botox Cosmetic, and Botox Therapeutic include the reduction or wrinkles in patients under 65, treatment of cervical dystonia (involuntary neck spasms), strabismus (cross eyes), facial nerve disorders in patients 12 and above, and blepharospasm (involuntary eyelid spasms). Myobloc is indicated for the treatment of severe neck pain caused by cervical dystonia.

FDA Black Box Warning for Botox and Myobloc

In 2009 the FDA signed off on a strong black box warning for Botox and Myobloc advising of the risk of severe side effects when the botulism toxin Botox is derived from moves beyond the site of the injection and spreads throughout the body. This FDA black box Botox label revision followed a review of reports of Botox side effect victims suffering from adverse reactions from the Botox injections.

The most severe reports of Botox side effects occur when the drug is prescribed for unapproved, off-label treatments. Popular off-label usages for the Botulinum toxin derived drugs, Botox and Myobloc, include treating involuntary muscle movements in juvenile cerebral palsy patients and adults suffering from cramping and muscle spasms. These patients are often given injections of Botox hundreds of times greater than the approved dosage. The Botox botulism toxin then moves from the injection site to other areas of the body causing breathing problems, difficulty swallowing, and even death.

Have you or a loved one died or been injured from Botox injections?

Off-label use of Botox and Myobloc by doctors for the treatment of muscle spasticity in adults and children with cerebral palsy has resulted many cases of injury and death. If you or a loved one has experienced any of the following during or after receiving Botox injections you may be entitled to financial compensation for injuries or wrongful death.

• Breathing problems
• Respiratory failure
• Botulism poisoning
• Difficulty swallowing
• Organ failure
• Death

In the fall of 2010, Allergan, the maker of Botox and Botox Cosmetic plead guilty to the illegal marketing of Botox for the off-label treatments. The Botox lawsuit resulted in a settlement of $600 million with the US Department of Justice to resolve the illegal marketing and cover payment for some civil claims.

In addition to the $600 million Botox settlement in September 2010, the Botox maker settled a Botox wrongful death suit for causing the death of a Texas woman after a cosmetic Botox treatment; a jury awarded $15 million to an Oklahoma woman who suffered severe side effects from Botox injections in 2009; and in April 2011 a federal jury in Virginia awarded a man $212 million for brain damage caused by Botox injections.

It is important to seek legal help as soon as possible to evaluate your Botox legal claim. The makers of Botox have already been found guilty of illegal marketing of Botox to physicians to encourage off-label Botox treatments.