Can the single use vial of Botox be used on more than one patient?

Question

CDC guidelines are very clear this is a violation of safe practices yet it seems this is still common practice.

Answer 1

It is a common practice because doctors save a lot of money by avoiding having to discard the unused portion of Botox in the vial.

In theory, if one always were to always use both a new disposable needle and a new disposable syringe when accessing the vial, then using one vial for more than one patient  could possibly be performed safely. However, in practice, human error and/or unscrupulous intent creates a risk of double-dipping into the vial and thus may lead to the transmission of infections like HIV or hepatitis.

In particular, the vial content may get contaminated even if the doctor only used same needle and/or syringe to get more Botox for the same patient (after injecting the first portion earlier). Then, even if the new needle/syringe is used for another patient, the vial has already been contaminated, and  there is a risk of transmitting infection.

The existing CDC guidelines make good sense. It is dangerous to rely on the humans who administer Botox whose main concern is earnings rather than your safety. If you still want to get your Botox, make sure your doctor opens a brand new vial in front of you.