Tablets in Japan scare not sold in HK: manufacturer

Dietary supplements at the centre of a health scare in Japan are not sold by the manufacturer in Hong Kong or exported to the city, company officials said on Wednesday. Two deaths and more than 100 hospitalisations have been linked to over-the-counter tablets touted as an alternative to statins for lowering high cholesterol. Products containing an ingredient called red yeast rice have been recalled in Japan over fears they could be causing kidney damage. Manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical has a branch in Hong Kong, but said it does not sell the supplements in question in the SAR, although there may be some parallel goods in the market. Responding to media enquiries, the Department of Health said the tablets are not registered in Hong Kong as pharmaceutical products or proprietary Chinese medicine. It said three types of registered proprietary Chinese medicine in the SAR do contain red yeast rice, but none of them are made by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. William Chui, chairman of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists, said red yeast rice is known to be able to improve digestive health and metabolism, and can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. But he said toxins can be created during the manufacturing process and these must be removed before products are put on sale. "It's possible that the production process did not strictly follow the regulations, or the company might not have conducted sample checks on toxic contents. Therefore, toxins may still remain in the products," he said, referring to the Kobayashi Pharmaceutical scare. Chui said the SAR government should conduct sample checks on high-risk health supplements, and the public should avoid buying any parallel goods containing red yeast rice.