Japan supplement health problems spread as more than 1,100 seek care

Health ministry faults Kobayashi's response, clears other red yeast rice products

20240405N supplements

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical's red yeast rice pills have been linked to five deaths and nearly 200 hospitalizations. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)

AYA TAKAHASHI, KONORI FUJITA and SARA MORI, Nikkei staff writers

TOKYO -- Japan is still working to get a clear picture of the scope of the health problems linked to supplements from Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, with hospitalizations rising steadily and more than 1,100 people reported to have sought medical attention.

As of Thursday, 196 people had been admitted to hospitals with ailments associated with the red yeast rice products, up around 70% from a week earlier. The number of people seeking medical attention more than doubled to 1,120, with outpatient visits or testing accounting for most of the total. Five deaths have been linked to the pills.

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