| The Dirty Bomb Scare and Your Health: | |
by Mary J. Shomon
June 14, 2002 -- After the June 10, 2002 announcement of the arrest of alleged al-Qaeda member and potential "dirty bomber" Jose Padilla, the interest in potassium iodide, the pill that can protect the thyroid in the event of a nuclear accident, has skyrocketed. In the days after the Padilla announcement, various federal agencies in Washington, DC -- including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Energy and the Department of Health and Human Services ordered more than 300,000 potassium iodide pills to keep on hand. Gordon Johndroe, the spokesman for the Office of Homeland Security, has said that the agencies are stockpiling the pills "in case of a nuclear event."
Since September 11th, orders for potassium iodide had been on the rise, primarily as individuals and some municipalities ordered the thyroid-protective drug to have on hand in the event of attack on nuclear facilities.
Would Potassium Iodide Help You in the Event of a Nuclear Release?
In the event of a reactor or plant accident, the pills can help protect your thyroid, because these types of releases typically include radioactive iodine. Most people in the eastern half of the U.S. are in a danger zone, and other states, including Texas, California and Washington state are also at risk.
See a map of U.S. nuclear reactors and plants
Taken prior to exposure to radioactive fallout containing radioactive iodine, potassium iodide protects the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine damage during a nuclear emergency, reducing the future risk of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer.
The thyroid is especially vulnerable during nuclear emergencies. Radioactive iodine is a major constituent used in nuclear power plants as well as in the fallout from nuclear detonation. Carried for hundreds of miles on the winds, if radioiodine is taken into the body through breathing or consumption of contaminated food, it is collected and retained by the thyroid gland. There, this concentration of radioactive material results in a variety of life-threatening illnesses including cancers and leukemia. Children -- born and unborn -- are particularly at risk due to their small physical size and weight.
Potassium iodide saturates the thyroid with a safe, stable form of iodine, thus preventing the uptake of radioactive iodine. Potassium iodide is the only FDA approved thyroid-blocking agent and is approved for over the counter sale.
Potassium Iodide May Not Help With Dirty Bombs
While demand for the drug has never been higher, potassium iodide may not help with so called "dirty bombs." It's thought that such bombs would likely use other radioactive materials, and not radioactive iodine, and the drug is only thyroid-protective in the even of exposure to radioactive iodine.
This information does not appear to be slowing down the sales of the drug, however, as government agencies and individuals are stepping up purchases of the drug. The strongest sales are coming from the Washington, DC area, where it's though that Padilla may have been allegedly planning to carry out his attack.
More Information About Potassium Iodide and the Thyroid
Here at About.com, we've been informing the public about the use of potassium iodide as a protective agent for the thyroid since June of 1999, after the Tokaimura nuclear accident in Japan. Here are some additional resources for information:
Where to Buy Potassium Iodide
Click here for a list of the Top Sites Selling Potassium Iodide.
Top Online Sources for Potassium Iodide
