When one submits to a medical procedure, he or she relies on the fact that the equipment and the drugs being used are safe. Even one faulty or counterfeit component could be detrimental to a person’s wellbeing. The Food and Drug Administration attempts to keep tabs on such items, and that’s why you see warnings like this one issued.
The agency is warning over 350 healthcare centers of potential hazards posed by Botox they received that was not cleared by FDA officials. Because approval was not granted for this particular version of the drug, the safety of the Botox treatment is impossible to guarantee. Patients submitting to treatment of such would thus be put at risk. It’s estimated that almost 20 practices in and around Los Angeles alone may have received the unapproved versions of the treatment.
The company behind the disputed Botox, Canada Drugs, is no stranger to these types of dilemmas. 4,100 websites received orders from the FDA in October telling them to discontinue selling unapproved drugs to United States buyers, and Canada Drugs was behind most of those sites. The agency also previously warned about counterfeit cancer drugs, Avastin in particular, reportedly distributed by the company.
The FDA says doctors should only buy drugs and treatments from reputable sources such as licensed pharmacies within our own country. Otherwise, situations like this might arise.