Tokyo — Japanese health supplement maker Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said Friday it was probing 76 more deaths possibly linked to its tablets containing red yeast rice, meant to lower cholesterol. It deepens a scandal that erupted earlier this year when the company said it was looking into five deaths potentially linked to the over-the-counter products after dozens of customers reported kidney problems.
On March 22, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said it was recalling three kinds of tablets containing benikoji. It later said it had detected a potentially toxic acid produced by the mould at one of its factories, and government officials inspected the firm's facilities. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical is a household name in Japan, offering a wide range of health-related products, and the scandal has been top news in the country.