Botulinum toxin may have gained popularity for its wrinkle-eliminating benefits, but now its drawbacks are cause for concern, prompting the Public Citizen Health Research Group to ask the FDA to increase its warnings about the use of the drug. Serious adverse reactions to the toxin, sold under the commercial names of Botox, Myobloc, and Dysport, including paralysis of respiratory muscles and even death, have been linked to the drug.
The group’s petition claims that although detailed information about the possible serious side effects is noted, it is not always available to the public.
Botulinum toxin is a natural poison found in decomposing food. Besides being used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, the drug also helps control excessive underarm sweating, spasmodic blinking, and uncontrollable neck and shoulder muscle contractions.
