Category — Allergan & Botox Opinion

Spoke to Mom today.  She had a bad neuroattack last night (aka “a fit” as we call them) due to lack of sleep.  She didn’t sound so great today.  I could tell by the tone in her voice.  She was surprised I could tell.  I’m growing very worried about her, and what may be going on with her mental faculties.  She seems to be regressing like a child, talking about candy and other things that just don’t make sense.  I just go along with it.

I really need to get life insurance on Mom.  I hate to say it, but I’m getting very, very worried.  I wish she had used a Botox alternative.  But, we all have our time, as they say, and hopefully, Mom’s time isn’t up yet.

And, in other great Botox fraud and fake Botox news:

LA dermatologist denies using fake Botox

Sunset Strip dermatologist has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of injecting patients with fake Botox.

Dr. David Cary Hansen entered his plea Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. He was indicted last month on 10 counts of mail fraud and misbranding a drug.

Prosecutors say Hansen injected patients with a cheaper form of botulinum toxin type A that is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration, without telling them the substance wasn’t Botox.

Mark J. Werksman, Hansen’s attorney, says the charges are exaggerated and his client never had any patient complaints or reports of injury.

Prosecutors declined to identify any of Hansen’s patients.

Now some press members are waking up to the proverbial nightmare that Botox use can (and has) caused with a few of their users.

From Natural Health:

The botulinum toxin injected into the face from the popular drug Botox can move into the brain, where it may cause damage to the central nervous system, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Allergan Inc.’s best-selling drug Botox, used to smooth out wrinkles by relaxing facial muscles, is actually botulinum neurotoxin type A. The toxin functions by disrupting the signals of the nervous system. Botox and a different variety of botulinum toxin, marketed as Myobloc by Solstice Neurosciences, are also used to treat muscular stiffness or spasms caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy.

After reports surfaced of people experiencing trouble breathing or swallowing after receiving injections of the toxin, the FDA added warnings to the labels of Botox and Myobloc about these effects. While the FDA has only warned of the effects in patients with neuromuscular disorders, it has acknowledged that a risk might also be posed in other people and has launched an investigation.

The reason for the danger is that the botulinum toxin might migrate from its injection site into other parts of the nervous system.

In the current study, researchers injected botulinum toxin into one side of the hippocampus into the brains of rats, and observed it to migrate to the other side of the brain. When the toxin was injected into the brain’s superior colliculus, which is involved in vision, it migrated into the animals’ eyes.

Six months after the initial injection into the hippocampus, the researchers could still observe the toxin’s effects.

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which is known to infect wounds and contaminate food. Approximately 110 cases of botulism poisoning occur in the United States each year. Because of the toxin’s tendency to paralyze the respiratory system, botulism contamination can be fatal if not treated.

My Mom has permanent damage from a botched injection of Allergan BOTOX.  It was for cosmetic use.  In fact, her trials and tribulations are the core focus of my site, albeit she doesn’t know about it.

You know, I’m all for free market capitalism.  It is the only tried and true method for a country’s prosperity.  Some will disagree, and while I respect their opinion, I suggest you to know your history.  Suffice it to say, I have no problem with people wanting to make money.  In fact, I could care less about drug dealers. The way I see it, everyone has their place in society, whether it is right or wrong.  As they say, there is a silver lining in every cloud.

BOTOX literally made Allergan from a small pharameutical company to a friggin’ empire.  Good for them.  They deserve to be successful in their endeavors.  If a product makes them and their shareholders money, that’s great!

Here’s the problem:  Safety.  Accountability.  Responsibility.

Did Allergan know about the long term side effects of BOTOX use for cosmetic purposes (e.g. wrinkles, anti-aging, etc)?  In my opinion, they had to have at least a strong idea about it.  I don’t have any proof of this other than my own logical deduction.  The kicker for me is Allergan’s very strict administration instructions for BOTOX-peddling dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons.  It’s so precise we’re talking about an outright map of the face is included.

Furthermore, Allergan has a dedicated hotline for incidences of Botox poisoning–(800) 433-8871.  I hope you never have to use it.  Clearly, it doesn’t take a genius to realize that unnecessary, voluntary use of a known neurotoxin with decades of use in military germ warfare is a tad sensitive thing to undergo, ya know?

My question for Allergan is when are they going to truly take responsibility and place the “black box” information about Botox risks on their packaging and advertising?  It’s damn near a fact that this happens.  Nearly 200 people are on the FDA books that have reported adverse problems associated with the use of cosmetic BOTOX!

Public Citizen, a powerful, non-profit consumer advocacy group, has launched a campaign to require Allergan to fess up to BOTOX’s real risks.

We’ll see if they do.  My point is they need to.  I don’t care how much it costs them.  BOTOX is killing people.  When it’s not, BOTOX is causing very, very serious health problems.  I see it every single day, man.  While I’m sure most of American’s are happy with their BOTOX experience, I do not believe that they have any understanding of what they’ve got inside them.  BOTOX is an obvious danger when administred inappropriately, but what about the long term?

My money is on an early death.  Even more money is on a miserable life before then, too.  I’m sad to say this as well.

It is in Allergan’s best, long-term interest to be honest and up front about BOTOX’s poisonous, potentially deadly potential, and provide a tried and true remedy for those who end up suffering because of it.  There is a definite line between capitalism and cavalier greed.  After all, Allergan claims to be in the business of improving one’s health–not destroying it via Frankenstein-style affects.