Manufacturer investigates deaths after cholesterol-lowering scandal in Japan
Published: Friday, Jun 28th 2024, 11:50
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The Japanese manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical says it is investigating dozens more deaths in the scandal surrounding cholesterol-lowering drugs based on red mold rice in Japan. It has become clear "that there are a large number of cases" in which the company's products "may have caused harm in some way and had indirect effects".
"We have received 1656 inquiries from people who have sought medical treatment and have 76 cases under investigation for a causal link to the deaths," the company said on Friday.
The scandal involves cholesterol-lowering drugs based on red mold rice. In March, the company recalled five products after people were hospitalized with kidney problems after taking them. According to the Swiss Medicines Agency Swissmedic, preparations containing red mould rice are not permitted in Switzerland either as medicines or as foodstuffs.
Potentially toxic acid
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said that a potentially toxic acid produced by the mold had been discovered at one of its plants. The company had previously announced that it was investigating five deaths in connection with the products, which are available without a prescription in Japan. The number of cases was later corrected to four.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical had supplied red mold rice to about 50 other companies in Japan and two companies in Taiwan, some of which launched recalls of their own. The recalled products all contain rice fermented with red mold. The red fermented rice - which should not be confused with red rice varieties - is used in East Asia to color foods such as salad dressings, bread and soy paste, but also as a remedy.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical is a well-known company in Japan that offers a wide range of healthcare products. The scandal has been dominating the news in Japan for weeks. On Friday, Kobayashi explained that the exact cause and extent of the damage to health still had to be determined. This also includes the question of whether other organs besides the kidneys may have been damaged.
Government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Friday that the Ministry of Health had previously instructed the company to submit a daily report on the ongoing investigations. So far, however, Kobayashi had "not reported the exact number of cases under investigation", "which is extremely regrettable".
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