Red rice yeast: Japan orders recall of ‘beni koji’ products over suspected link to four deaths

CBS News

Supplement pill that contained mold recalled after 2 deaths, over 100 hospitalizations in Japan

The chairman and president of Japanese drug manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical have stepped down amid an invstigation into whether their dietary supplements potentially linked to hundreds of deaths.

The Japan Times

Company Chairman Kazumasa Kobayashi stepped down Tuesday as chairman and board member, but will stay at the firm as an advisor. His son, Akihiro Kobayashi, will step down as president but remain to help compensate the victims.

The cholesterol-lowering diet pills are made from red yeast rice called beni koji, which has been proven to lower cholesterol but also connected to organ damage. Reports of kidney failure in those who took the supplement emerged in February and March.

Guardian

Japan's Health Ministry has reported that 492 people were hospitalized after consming Kobayashi's products, 291 of whom developed kidney issues. Taiwan has since reportedly recalled 154 products made with beni koji.

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For its part, the company has discovered 279 deaths and over 2.2k hospital visits — of which almost 500 required hospitalization — linked to its beni koji products.

An independent company review led by lawyers concluded that "despite" the company "never before received multiple reports of serious cases from doctors in such a short period of time," it only decided to recall the products "after conducting internal probes."

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Japan: Heads of Drug Maker Resign Over Potential Deadly Diet Pills

Japan: Heads of Drug Maker ChiefResign Resigns Over Potential Deadly Diet Pills

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