Alan Brown Scott, MD, an ophthalmologist who developed Botox for medical use, died Dec. 16 at the age of 89.
Dr. Scott, of Berkley, Calif., was in an intensive care unit with an acute illness for 10 days before his death, NPR reported Dec. 18.
He began studying the drug previously known as Oculinum, in the 1970s and 1980s with the goal of helping patients with eye disorders avoid extensive surgeries. In 1991, Dr. Scott sold the drug to Allergan, which officially changed the drug's name to Botox the next year. The drug's use was then expanded to include other ailments, such as migraines, and for cosmetic use to remove wrinkles.
"I think that's a charming, slightly frivolous use," Dr. Scott told SF Gate in 2002, regarding the drug's use for cosmetic purposes. "It's not along the lines of what I was into — applications for serious disorders."