Japan drugmaker reports two additional fatalities in supplement scare
Published on: March 29, 2024.
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Tokyo, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 28th Mar, 2024) A Japanese drugmaker, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, has reported two more deaths that may be linked to its dietary supplement tablets. Last week, the company recalled three supplement brands, including “Beni Koji Choleste Help,” due to customer complaints of kidney problems. These supplements contain an ingredient called red yeast rice, or “beni koji,” which is meant to help lower cholesterol levels.
With these new deaths, there are now a total of four fatalities under investigation by the company and health ministry, along with over 100 people hospitalized. The drugmaker received information from a bereaved family that a person who had been using Choleste Help passed away due to kidney disease. They also received separate information about another person who had used Choleste Help in recent years and had died. The company is currently investigating the facts and causal relationships in both cases.
Red yeast rice is often considered an alternative to statins for reducing high cholesterol. However, medical studies have warned about the potential risk of organ damage depending on the composition of the red yeast rice.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical sells a wide range of health products in Japan, primarily through television advertisements. Additionally, they have supplied red yeast rice to approximately 50 other companies in Japan and two in Taiwan.
Yoshimasa Hayashi, a government spokesman, stated that authorities are working to ensure food safety by identifying the substance responsible for the health issues and how it ended up in the product. The government has ordered health-food manufacturers to review their products and has informed foreign countries about the issue through Japan’s embassies.
Numerous Japanese companies that used beni koji provided by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical have also announced separate recalls. The affected products include health tablets, a rose-colored sparkling sake, salad dressing, bread, and miso paste commonly used in traditional dishes.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical mentioned that their analysis revealed the possibility of unintended ingredients in the products. However, they did not find any citrinin, a toxic substance that can harm the kidneys, produced by the red yeast rice.
Source: [UrduPoint](https://www.urdupoint.com)
