Japanese health officials have launched a probe into Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. after a factory owned by the company was raided on Saturday. The investigation is being carried out in collaboration with government health authorities, following the deaths of at least five people and the hospitalization of over 100 others who were said to have been affected by the company’s health supplements.
The supplements in question all contain “benikoji,” a type of red mold. The company’s pink pills, known as Benikoji Choleste Help, were marketed as helping lower cholesterol levels. Over the past three fiscal years, approximately one million packages of these supplements were sold and they could be purchased at drug stores without a prescription.
However, reports of health issues related to the supplements only started surfacing in 2023, despite benikoji having been used in various products for many years. Company president Akihiro Kobayashi has apologized for the delay in responding to the issue and for initiating a recall two months after receiving official medical reports.
The Japanese health ministry has confirmed that the supplements are responsible for the deaths and illnesses and has warned that more cases may arise due to their use. This incident has raised concerns about recent deregulation initiatives aimed at speeding up approval processes for health products to boost economic growth. Despite deaths from mass-produced items being rare in Japan due to stringent government checks on consumer products, this event has prompted a reevaluation of the approval system. A report on the matter is expected to be released in May.
