近几个月，日本多人服用小林制药生产的含红曲成分保健品后，因肾脏疾病住院甚至死亡。截至7月21日，疑似相关死亡人数已达101人，在医疗机构就诊人数超2000人。



来源：小林制药官网

据日本共同社7月23日报道，日本小林制药公司当天公布了外部专家关于含红曲成分保健品的调查报告。报告中提到，生产工厂尽管了解到红曲培养罐有青霉附着，但放任不管。

外部专家还称，该公司在发现相关肾病病例后，面对医生的质询仍回答保健品“没有副作用”。专家在报告中批评了小林制药对消费者的说明滞后。提及小林制药公司会长小林一雅和社长小林章浩，报告中称其领导能力不足，没有作出率先确保消费者安全的判断和指示。

23日上午，小林制药召开临时董事会会议，小林一雅和小林章浩辞职。

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, a household name in Japan, is at the centre of health fears linked to its over-the-counter tablets containing red yeast rice, which is fermented with a mould culture.

According to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, the number of deaths that need to be investigated in connection with the consumption of its supplements reached 101 as of Sunday, including four people that the company announced in March that had died after taking its dietary supplements with red yeast rice, or beni-koji.

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical said president Akihiro Kobayashi and chairman Kazumasa Kobayashi were leaving their posts. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s new president is Satoshi Yamane, previously head of sustainability policy, the company said.

小林制药公司社长小林章浩 图源：新华社

根据日本厚生劳动省的信息，包括最初报告的5个死亡案例在内，截至7月10日，共有249名死亡消费者的家属与小林公司进行过沟通联络，其中不能确认146名死者生前是否服用过相关保健品，另有3名死者生前是否服用过相关保健品尚在确认中。

除去这些案例，目前正在对100名死亡消费者的死因是否与服用问题保健品存在关联等展开详细调查。



3月22日，小林制药宣布紧急召回三款含红曲成分的保健品。据日本多家媒体4月4日报道，小林制药公司今年1月就已接到含红曲成分保健品致消费者健康受损的报告，却在两个多月后才告知公司外部董事并宣布召回决定。

小林制药还公布了一份关于其处理问题的调查报告，承认在提醒消费者潜在风险和召回产品方面存在延误。

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical became aware of the reports of health problems in mid-January. But it did not publicly disclose facts until late March. The Osaka-based pharmaceutical giant also released an investigation report over its handling of the issue, acknowledging delays in alerting consumers to potential risks and recalling their products.