Japan Drugmaker Looking Into Higher Death Count From Toxic Pills
Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. President Akihiro Kobayashi and others bow at the beginning of a news conference in March.
Photographer: STR/AFP/Getty Images
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Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. is investigating whether 76 people have died after ingesting its health supplements containing red yeast, a higher toll than initially reported.
Shares in the company fell 7% on Friday after the Nikkei newspaper reported concerns from Japan’s health minister. The company later confirmed the news, saying that the deaths were still under investigation after receiving 1,656 inquiries from consumers who were seen at medical facilities after falling ill.