BAD SHOT

Botox Weight Loss Injections Are Causing Botulism, Health Officials Warn

The condition can lead to paralysis and even death.

European health officials have warned medical tourists traveling to Turkey for Botox weight loss injections of a “significant risk of developing botulism.” The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says 67 cases of the potentially life-threatening illness have been linked to shots given in Turkey, a popular destination for patients seeking cut-price medical procedures. While Botox is typically used to get rid of wrinkles, it can also be injected into the stomach wall to suppress appetite. Although developing botulism from such injections remains rare, it can happen when patients are administered an “excessive dose” of Botox, according to the ECDC. Botulism patients’ nervous systems are attacked by toxins, which can lead to paralysis and even death, with around 5 to 10 percent of food-borne botulism cases proving fatal.