One dead, dozens sick after taking red yeast pill
By Frances Mao
A major Japanese drugmaker has said it is investigating a death and dozens of hospitalisations that could be linked to its red yeast rice pills.
At least 76 people were admitted to hospital after taking the beni kÅji fermented rice products, the firm says.
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical reported the illnesses after issuing a voluntary recall of five products last week.
The firm urged customers to stop using the pills, which were advertised as cholesterol-lowering supplements.
Kobayashi said it suspected that the problem may have come from previously undetected toxic substances in moulds used in production.
Beni kÅji is rice fermented with monascus purpureus, a species of reddish-purple mould. While advertised as a health supplement for high cholesterol and blood pressure, it’s also widely used as a traditional colour dye for food products.
On Tuesday, the company issued a statement announcing the “causal relationship” of its Red Yeast Cholesterol Help product and the customer’s death.
It said it had received a message from the bereaved family saying the person had died from kidney disease and had been using the Red Yeast Cholesterol Help product the past three years. The firm said there had been a regular mail order.
