Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued a warning to healthcare facilities, particularly hospital emergency departments, to be vigilant for patients displaying symptoms akin to botulism. This follows the identification of two cases in Illinois linked to injections of Botox or a potentially counterfeit product administered in LaSalle County. IDPH is collaborating with the LaSalle County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation (IDFPR) on this investigation. A similar cluster was reported by the Tennessee Department of Health, and IDPH is liaising with the CDC and FDA.

The affected individuals exhibited symptoms such as blurred vision, facial drooping, fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and hoarse voice after receiving injections. Both required hospitalization and had been treated by a licensed nurse operating beyond her professional authority.

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of IDPH, emphasized caution regarding cosmetic treatments: “Illinois residents should exercise caution when considering cosmetic treatment... Please only seek cosmetic services under the care of licensed professionals trained to do these procedures and who use FDA approved products.”

In Illinois, administering botulinum toxin—a key component in Botox—is considered medical practice permitted only by certain licensed professionals regulated by IDFPR. These include physicians, nurses under physician supervision, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) within their collaborative agreements or full practice authority consistent with their national certification, and physician assistants within their collaborative agreements. Cosmetologists and estheticians are prohibited from performing these practices.

Mario Treto Jr., Secretary of IDFPR stated: “As the State of Illinois’ head regulatory agency... We encourage everyone to use the resources on our website to ensure they receive services from trained, licensed professionals."

Consumers can verify professional licenses using IDFPR’s License Lookup Tool. Any unlawful medical service provision should be reported through Filing a Complaint.

On April 3rd, IDPH urged healthcare providers to monitor for botulism-like symptoms and document comprehensive histories related to botulinum toxin administration including purpose, location details, injection specifics, product used, administration date and administrator identity. Such cases should be immediately reported for further investigation.

Healthcare practitioners are advised to confirm that their Botox distributor is authorized via Allergan's website—the FDA-approved maker of Botox.

Botulism is characterized by muscle paralysis caused by a nerve toxin from bacteria found naturally. It is rare but potentially deadly; its purified form is FDA-approved for cosmetic use by licensed providers.

For more information on botulism visit [HERE].