Botox injections by any other name -- such as Tritox -- are not worth losing wrinkles over. Clients of Montclair's Peau may be wondering today about dodging a shot at dangerous paralysis.
From the Star Ledger...
Federal prosecutors contend Albert Poet, 57, told patients he was administering the popular Botox treatment when he in fact gave them another form of botulism toxin type A. The alternative, known as Tritox, has not been approved for use in humans by the Food and Drug Administration and has been linked to at least four botulism cases in Florida.Poet, authorities said, was one of those buyers. According to the indictment, Poet ordered at least 23 vials of the substance in 2003 and 2004, injecting it into patients through January of 2005.
The physician is an Essex County native who treated patients at PEAU, his chic Montclair spa, and at Shore Laser & Esthetics in Manahawkin. Authorities said he advertised Botox treatments in local newspapers.
Poet's lawyer, William Hughes, criticized the government case last night, calling his client the victim of overzealous prosecutors.
"The government came looking for a fight. Well, they got one," Hughes said. "We are going to meet these charges, and we're going to fight them very hard. They're wrong, they're meritless and, quite frankly, this is going to be a case to watch."While Botox is considered safe, the dangers of substitutes were illustrated when a Florida doctor, Bach McComb, infected himself and three other people with botulism in 2004, leading to the partial paralysis of all four people.
UPDATE: From Peau we receive a press release from the law firm of Cooper Levenson, Hughes' firm, reiterating that Poet is innocent and will vehemently fight these charges.
William J. Hughes, Jr., Esquire, of Cooper Levenson April Niedelman & Wagenheim, P.A., stated that both he and his client will be present in the U.S. District Court in Trenton, New Jersey, for Dr. Poet’s initial appearance to fight the charges.Hughes stated, “the Government is charging my client for utilizing a non-FDA approved form of botox, that is, botulinum neurotoxin type A.†This is the substance used by physicians to, among other things, reduce and eliminate facial wrinkles in their patients. Hughes further added: “In charging my client, the Government alleges that Dr. Poet committed fraud upon his patients. The charges against Dr. Poet are completely and categorically without merit, and Dr. Poet looks forward to challenging them in the U.S. District Court.â€
All persons charged by Indictment are innocent unless the Government, after presenting its evidence in a trial, is able to convince a jury of twelve women and men otherwise. Hughes stated: “the Government’s burden is tremendous. They have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. We are confident here that the Government will not be able to make their case because Dr. Poet is innocent.â€
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Comments (32)
Anyone ever try to subscribe to the "Montclair Watercooler" group on Yahoo, only to be met with this ridiculous application process? I had a few basic questions to ask & tried to join the group about a week ago, only to wait a week to get this dumb response about needing more information, blah blah blah.
They sound like little self-important townies. Maybe they just need lives.
Uh-eau, Peau, that's a neau-neau!
And wait until you try to post. They won't let you say the kind of stuff you get to say here.
After suffering from what could be mistaken for Botulism -- "Guillian Barre"---I would fear recieving any type of injection that could leave behind the sensation I experienced in my face and neck and being in ICU (for fear it might hit my respiratory organs) the week after having a child.
The month of trying to speak and smile and talk properly agian--and then the fear of it possibly happening again.
Yes ladies and men go botox yourseves if you wish!
What are your favorite skin products? Mine are Dr. Brandt's "Laser in a Bottle," a pink skin cream that smells like peppermint, and the Philosophy line at Sephora.
Hiding,
Your comments insinuate that you actually have a life. That's like the pot calling the pot a pot. You spend at least 8 hours a day posting obnoxious messages many of which are completely speculative and unfounded. If you "have a life", I would hate to see someone who doesn't.
8 hours a day?
you must be one of those water cooler idiots
Roady,
That was a dumb comment.
Calculating that "Hiding" spends at least 8 hours a day posting to this site was interesting :-)
Did you know that everybody that posts to this site that leaves out a "name" posts as "hiding"
ru486 posting as hiding
x
roady's kind of dumb...
And I always get lots and lots of mail!
roady's also a p***y who won't even include a valid email address on his posts. what a wimp
wow I didn't know that
Me Neither. Regards, Roady.
what d'ya know?
Is there a Yahoogroup called the Lame Watercooler as the poster abover insinuates?
I'd like to be able to post in a group where calling some one a p***y isn't allowed.
YMWG= lame
so are you! Your e-mail isn't valid either you POSEUR!
Did any one see the botox and laser surgery sign in front of Sait Ives Salon? Shouldnt that stuff be done inside a medical approved building? Can they do botox inside a hair salon? Are they licensed to do a service like that? Has any one looked into that? Isnt there also a town law for signs in front of a building? You should take a ride past and count my last count was 5, how do they get away with stuff like this?
Did any one see the botox and laser surgery sign in front of Sait Ives Salon? Shouldnt that stuff be done inside a medical approved building? Can they do botox inside a hair salon? Are they licensed to do a service like that? Has any one looked into that? Isnt there also a town law for signs in front of a building? You should take a ride past and count my last count was 5, how do they get away with stuff like this?
They get away with it because the Town Council lets them.
Recall the town council!
hey "wc idiot" - try and send me something, moron.
oh wait - you're not posting an email address either.
loser.
yahoo's montclair watercooler group = lame
I did send you something and it bounced back
Katie Doesn't need Botox.
Bounced back. yeah. right. ok. I guess you could include your email address on your posts, so then I can...
...ah forget it. You're too boring.
I know someone who got the botox done by a doctor at St Ives, she complained that it did not look good, it really looked like she never got it done, but they never did anything about it. I did not know botox can be done in a hair salon either, I thought that is a medical procedure, where do they dispose of the used needles????? I wonder.
CBS is also shot promotional TV spots of Ms Couric soft-focused like the ancient Barbara Walters requires so no one will see the wrinkles. In the old days we did that with a stocking over the lens or vaseline on the lens. Perhaps if women wore both over their heads they wouldn't need botox.
i'm confused by the lawyer's comments. is he claiming that the dr. did not commit fraud, meaning, he may have used the inferior, unapproved grade 'botox' but didn't realize it wasn't the authentic stuff, so he is technically innocent? or is he claiming that he is innocent of fraud because the charges that he injected patients with the inferior grade, unapproved substance are false and incorrect? either way, i would like to know: were this physician's patients injected with the approved or the unapproved treatment, and if so, what have been the results? i just feel there's more to be related in this story before i could even have an opinion.
The FDA has very specific rules for interstate transport of drugs that are approved for use in humans- botox is approved tritox is not.
The tritox bottles that he purchased (using his personal credit card)and used on 130 patients were labeled "for research purposes only" and "not for human use".
He advertised that he was doing botox injections, patients signed permission for him to treat them with botox and he charged for botox but he used the cheaper non approved tritox instead.
Unless he can't read - he knew exactly what he was using.
He owned both spas.
" rel="nofollow">The Grand Jury Indictment
DRAT- bad linky. Here it is again
The grand Jury Indictment
that's terrible. thank you for the information. i can't imagine why anyone would do such a thing.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Lots and Lots of money
This story really underscores the importance of thouroughly researching a Dr. you are thinking of going to for such procedures. Dateline had the story on about the four people who fell ill in Florida. They were injected with the inferior, unapproved grade and almost died!! This Dr. should rot in jail if he really used this stuff on his patients.