Patients were injected with the BCG instead of botox

The patients at the Bradford Royal Infirmary were being treated for a condition which causes wrinkled eyelids and should have received botox.

Subsequent checks showed the patients had instead been injected with a BCG vaccine.

A hospital spokesman described it as an "isolated incident".

Precautionary measure

He said: "Each patient has already been traced, assessed by a hospital specialist and had a meeting with us so we could explain what has occurred, offer reassurances, and answer any questions they may have."

The trust said the patients were being treated for an eyelid condition called blepharospasm and regularly visited a clinic to have botox injections to alleviate uncontrolled muscle contractions which forces the eyes to shut.

Following the mix-up two weeks ago, each patient had been placed on a course of preventative medicine at home as a "precautionary measure".

The spokesman added: "These antibiotics are designed to kill off any bacteria present and minimise the possibility of any further complications.

"The patients' conditions are being regularly reviewed and any swelling they suffered is gradually improving.

"We would like to stress that no other patients are involved, and that neither the patients' families or the wider community are in any way at risk.

"By way of reassurance, and to put this very regrettable incident into context, this is the first error of its kind in more than a decade, during which time we have made over 500,000 individualised doses for named patients."