Japan to Oblige Reporting on Supplements-Linked Health Issues

Tokyo, July 22 (Jiji Press)–An expert panel of Japan’s health ministry on Wednesday broadly agreed on a plan to make it mandatory for businesses handling dietary supplements to report health issues associated with such products. The move comes on the heels of incidents of health damage related to Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co.’s supplements containing “beni koji” red fermented rice. Currently, businesses handling dietary supplements are only required to make efforts to report related health damage, as with ordinary foods, except for cases in which they are sold as foods with function claims and “tokuho” foods with health improvement effects. But it has been pointed out that damage from supplements would be significant as they are expected to be ingested repeatedly and continuously. Under the plan, businesses will be mandated to report to local governments when health problems occur or when damage is seen expanding. In addition, manufacturing and processing facilities will be obliged to declare whether they plan to make supplements in documents to be submitted to seek the launch of operations. An expert panel of the Consumer Affairs Agency in June defined supplements as those that help nutritional intake and the adjustment of physiological functions, and pose a risk of overdose. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]