Dietary supplement leaves 5 dead, more than 90 sick in Japan

Record ID: 1944551

  • Title: Dietary supplement leaves 5 dead, more than 90 sick in Japan
  • Date: 29th March 2024
  • Summary: Dietary supplement leaves 5 dead, more than 90 sick in Japan SHOTLIST: JAPAN (AAVN-ACCESS ALL) (FILE FOOTAGE) 1. STILL PHOTO OF PILLS (FILE FOOTAGE) 2. STILL PHOTO OF GOLDEN PILLS SCATTERED OUT OF BOTTLE (FILE FOOTAGE) JAPAN (MARCH 29, 2024) (MUST CREDIT MINISTER OF HEALTH, LABOUR AND WELFARE OF JAPAN - FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE MINISTER OF HEALTH, LABOUR AND WELFARE, KEIZO TAKEMI SAYING: "We would like to explain how we handle products that use red yeast rice. Yesterday, the Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council held an investigation committee to discuss the response to this incident. Based on the discussions at the study committee, we decided that among the products manufactured using the same Kobayashi Pharmaceutical raw materials as the red yeast rice used in the three Kobayashi Pharmaceutical products, the amount of red yeast rice used in three products per day should be. If the product falls under any of the following categories, or if it falls under any of the following products that have been reported by a doctor as having one or more health hazards in the past three years, the business should conduct its own inspection. We have just requested a report to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. In addition, in order to respond to this issue, an interministerial collaboration office for measures against products using red yeast rice has been established within the ministry to facilitate joint work with other ministries and agencies, and an internal task force for measures against products using red yeast rice has been established within the ministry. Furthermore, we are currently preparing a call center to respond to inquiries from the public and businesses. In addition, we will continue to work together with relevant ministries and agencies to dispel the concerns of the public. This is about the transfer of food hygiene standards administration and water supply administration. From April 1st next week, water administration will be transferred to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the Ministry of the Environment, and food hygiene standards administration will be transferred to the Consumer Affairs Agency, and the government as a whole will strengthen and enhance the functions of public health and other related administrations. Regarding water supply administration, in response to the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, we were able to eliminate water outages in almost all of Ishikawa Prefecture before the transfer. Within food safety administration, food hygiene monitoring administration will continue to be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. We are working closely with the relevant ministries and agencies regarding the recent case involving red yeast rice, and we will continue to work with the Consumer Affairs Agency and other organizations to promote food safety." AAVN SCRIPT: At least five people were killed and 93 others hospitalized after consuming a dietary supplement in Japan, the Health Ministry stated on Friday. Keizo Takemi, Japanese Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, held a press conference regarding concerns caused by red yeast rice dietary supplements in Japan on Friday (March 29). In response to recent red yeast rice supplement concerns, Japan's Health Minister Takemi stated that the ministry has initiated proactive measures to ensure public safety. According to a statement from the manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co, another person who consumed "beni-koji" containing red rice yeast has died. This brings to 5 the number of deaths linked to the dietary supplement "beni-koji" so far. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare reported that a total of 93 people who consumed "beni-koji" are currently being treated in hospitals. The ministry said the company had received nearly 12,000 complaints about the product so far. It has recalled five of its products, including about 300,000 packages of its "Beni-Koji Cholesterol Help" supplements. The Health Ministry, which suspects the presence of a “toxic substance” in the product, also held a hearing with the Osaka-based pharmaceutical officials regarding the alarming health issues due to the supplements that caused kidney-related problems after their consumption. The company was unable to come up with a specific cause of the problems. Local authorities in the Osaka province on the main Honshu Islands of Japan Wednesday ordered Kobayashi Pharmaceutical to recall three other types of "Beni-Koji" supplements.
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