The creator of the preparation, which bears the well-known name Botox, the American ophthalmologist Alan Scott, died on December 16 in a California hospital, at the age of 89, the Washington Post writes today, Wednesday.
Scott pioneered the exploitation of Botox in the field of cosmetics completely by accident, the newspaper writes. Its purpose was to use botulinum toxin (one of the most potent known organic poisons) to treat strabismus without surgery.
The toxin was originally intended for military use, but when deemed unsuitable for use as a chemical weapon, it was used by non-military scientists and medical professionals, including Scott, who worked at the Institute in the 1960s. Smith-Kettlewell Ophthalmological Research in San Francisco.
Scott wanted to use the paralytic properties of the toxin to treat strabismus, for which he perfected the formulation to enhance its desired effect and properties. In 1991, the drug company Allergan bought a drug called Botox. By then, the doctors who used it had noticed – to the delight of their patients – that Botox, in addition to correcting strabismus, had also begun to smooth out some of the wrinkles around the eyes. In 2002, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the product as a cosmetic product for removing wrinkles not only on the face but also on the body. Since then Botox has been actively marketed worldwide and it is estimated that at least 11 million people use it.
Scott himself, according to the Washington Post, never stopped admiring this use of the drug that he created, until the last days of his life. “Life is a mystery and it’s amazing what happens to it,” he once told the San Francisco Chronicle about Botox.
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