In strip malls and medical spas across the state, Ohioans are getting injections to combat wrinkles and weight gain and receive intravenous fluids to fight hangovers and migraines.
But inspectors for the Ohio Board of Pharmacy are finding medical spas and IV hydration clinics that are not following the rules and, in some cases, putting people at risk.
The pharmacy board suspended licenses at 49 such spas and their suppliers since January 2025. Across Ohio, 294 med spas and hydration clinics currently hold dangerous drug distribution licenses.
The board’s Top 10 list of common problems includes: buying drugs off the internet or social media sources that aren’t licensed in Ohio, using “for research only” drugs, using drugs that aren’t authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, such as mistletoe extract, failing to lock up controlled substances, and keeping expired medications in stock.
Over the past year, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy conducted 909 inspections related to medical spas and found problems at a majority of the license holders.
The problem rates among these entities were higher than among non-med spa license holders.
A witness told pharmacy board officials that she developed hard lumps, sore throat and a cough after receiving injections at Rejuvenation & Relaxation Wellness in Maineville. The witness said she experienced lingering illness for more than six months, which she attributed to the injections at the Warren County clinic.
Investigators determined the clinic was using counterfeit Botox.
In Pike County, the owner of Pure Bliss Aesthetics and MediSpa was sentenced to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to tampering with drugs, a third-degree felony.
Owner Haley Schackart acknowledged to investigators that she bought drugs from China, had them shipped to her home and she relabeled them. State investigators found the spa had expired drugs and medications listed as “for research only,” and drugs were being sold without valid prescriptions.
Schackart must close Pure Bliss and is prohibited from selling weight loss drugs. The Board of Pharmacy suspended and then revoked her license in 2025 and imposed a $90,000 fine.
Patient harm has been documented in other states, including 14 patients who developed botulism after Botox injections given by an aesthetician in Massachusetts in 2025, according to The Partnership for SafeMedicines.
Ohio’s inspections to date have focused on license holders; now the pharmacy board is looking for unlicensed operators.
What are med spas and hydration clinics?
Med spas and hydration clinics are popping up across the nation.
Hydration clinics administer intravenous fluids with vitamins, amino acids, electrolytes and other nutrients. They pitch the therapy as a way to detox, boost immunity, enhance performance, improve heart health and bring a youthful glow.
Med spas offer non-surgical aesthetic procedures, such as Botox injections and dermal fillers.
A study published in October 2025 in JAMA Network found only four states comprehensively regulate IV hydration spas.
The medical spa industry is expanding so quickly that it’s outstripping existing regulatory frameworks, the Partnership for Safe Medicines said.
Ohio regulators raised the alarm about hydration clinics in May 2025. The medical, nursing and pharmacy boards issued a joint statement, warning that retail IV therapy clinics could be operating outside the law and risking patient safety. IV therapy requires oversight by licensed professionals with authority to prescribe and administer medicine and mixing IV cocktails must follow strict rules.
Consumer protection tips
The Ohio Board of Pharmacy put together a safety tipsheet for patients:
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio med spa inspections uncover counterfeit Botox, illegal drugs
Reporting by Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
