Japanese authorities have conducted a raid on an Osaka factory that produces health supplements, following the deaths of at least five individuals and hospitalization of over 100 others. The factory in question is Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co., headquartered in Osaka. This was captured on Japanese TV news, as officials in dark suits entered the premises solemnly.
The root cause of the illnesses, including kidney failure, remains unknown according to the company. An investigation is underway with government health authorities to determine the exact reason for these maladies. All of the supplements produced by this factory utilized a type of red mold known as “benikoji,” with pink pills labeled Benikoji Choleste Help being advertised to help lower cholesterol levels.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical reported selling around one million packages of these supplements over the past three fiscal years, some even being exported internationally. These products were available without prescription at drug stores nationwide. Despite benikoji being used in various products for many years, reports of health issues only began emerging in 2023.
In response to this incident, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s president, Akihiro Kobayashi, has apologized for any delay in taking action. The recall was initiated two months after official medical reports were received. As of Friday, five deaths and 114 hospitalizations have been linked to these supplements by Japan’s Health Ministry, with further cases being warned about due to their potentially deadly nature. The recent deregulation efforts in Japan aimed at promoting economic growth are now under scrutiny as they streamlined the approval process for health products like these supplements.
Japan’s strict government oversight of consumer goods has historically resulted in rare instances of mass-produced item fatalities; therefore, authorities are reviewing the approval process for dietary supplements like those produced by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. A comprehensive report addressing this issue will be released in May to provide more information about these dangerous supplement-related illnesses and how they can be prevented from happening again in the future