US FDA warns of harmful reactions to fake Botox injections

London: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday alerted health care professionals and consumers that unsafe counterfeit versions of AbbVie's Botox were given to consumers for cosmetic purposes in multiple states.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the FDA are investigating reports of harmful reactions among people who received injections of counterfeit Botox.

As of April 12, a total of 19 people from nine states had reported harmful reactions after receiving Botox injections from unlicensed or untrained individuals, or in non-healthcare settings, such as homes and spas, according to the CDC.

States reporting these reactions include Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and Washington.

The FDA's investigation is ongoing, and the agency is currently working with the manufacturer of Botox, AbbVie, to identify and remove suspected counterfeit Botox products found in the United States.

AbbVie did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for a comment.

(Reporting by Sneha S K in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)