Alan Scott, the doctor credited with developing Botox for medicine, dies at 89



Alan B. Scott is pictured with his wife. Scott was credited with the development ofotulinumtoxinA.

Ann Scott is a woman.

The family of Alan Brown Scott confirmed to NPR that he died on Thursday at the age of 89.

Ann Scott said her father was in the intensive care unit for 10 days after he was stricken with an acute illness.

Ann Scott said her father was a great father and loved his work.

The toxin used in the creation of Botox was not originally discovered for medical use. Ed Schantz was working in the military's biological weapons program when he developed it. Scott wanted to use the toxin for medical purposes, so Schantz sent it to him.

Scott wanted to help his patients with eye disorders so he thought the chemical could help. He was trying to treat people with strabismus and blepharospasm, which is an uncontrollable closing of eyes. It's also been used to help with hair loss and drooling.

He didn't want to know whatotulinumtoxinA was used for, which is smoothing downwrinkles for cosmetic purposes.

Scott told SF Gate in 2002 that he thought that the use ofotulinumtoxinA by celebrities was a little frivolous. It's not the same as what I was into, applications for serious disorders.

Scott sold the drug to Allergan in 1991, but the name of the drug was changed to botulinumtoxinA the next year. In 2020, there were more than four million procedures performed in the U.S.

Scott talked about how widespread the drug is in an interview with SF Gate.

Life is a mystery. "It's amazing, all the things that happen," he said.

His daughter said he enjoyed anything that was intellectually stimulating.

Scott said that her father was a quiet reserved person and liked word play.

Scott says her father was a good teacher.

She said that he loved that.