There’s worry about a health supplement from a Japanese company called Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. Two people who took it died, and many others got sick. The government is looking into whether the supplement caused these problems.
The supplement, made from red fermented rice called beni kо̄ji, is supposed to help lower bad cholesterol. But some people who took it got sick, especially those who used batches made after September 2023.
One person who died had been taking the supplement regularly for a while. The other person’s autopsy showed kidney damage.
The government is now checking thousands of other health products to make sure they’re safe. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has recalled all its products with beni kо̄ji and warned people not to use them. They’ve gotten lots of questions from worried customers.
The government is also talking to experts about what to do with products from other companies that use beni kо̄ji from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. So far, there haven’t been any health problems with those products.
Another company, DHC, is recalling a similar supplement it sells in Taiwan, even though they haven’t found any issues with it. They want to ease people’s concerns.