Japanese plant padded paracetamol with cheap Chinese imports

Active ingredients supplier Yamamoto Chemical Industry has been blocked from shipping its products after an inspection revealed the Japanese supplier had been mixing in cheap Chinese paracetamol without clearance from regulators.

Firms which source paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, from Yamamoto include Nihon Generic, Ayumi Pharmaceutical, Shionogi (TYO: 4507) and Taisho Pharmaceutical.

Pharma Japan reports that affected pharmaceutical companies are “considering sourcing ingredients from other suppliers,” although the Japanese health ministry has declared there were no safety or quality concerns, making a recall unnecessary.