December 3, 2002 - The U.S. Government announced this month that it is providing all 750,000 U.S. postal workers nationwide with emergency Potassium Iodide (KI) pills to protect them in the event of a nuclear emergency. The pills are generally kept on hand in areas where there is a threat of a nuclear accident, but in recent years concerns have also increased that terrorists could deploy a nuclear weapon in the U.S. KI is a natural mineral combination, approved by the FDA to prevent thyroid cancer caused by radioactive particles by blocking the thyroid from taking up radioactive iodine.

Additionally, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has announced that it will provide free KI to 33 states that have residents living within a 10-mile radius of each of the nation's 102 nuclear reactors. KI is the only medication approved for internal radiation exposure.

The USPS said Monday it was buying nearly 1.6 million pills from Tampa-based Anbex, Inc. for distribution to workers who want to have the tablets if a radiological emergency occurs. "It's a proactive approach regarding the safety, health and well-being of employees nationwide," said Sue Brennan, Postal Service Spokesperson.

Dr. Hansen recommends that everyone keep a supply of KI on hand in case of a nuclear emergency, whether a nuclear bomb or a breach of a nuclear power plant. KI is effective only if taken 2 days before or within 8 hours after exposure to irradiation from environmentally dispersed radioiodine. The required dose is 100mg for adults and 50mg for children. Dr. Hansen recommends a liquid KI product made from the plant Crocus sativum, which contains 50mg of KI per drop. Each 1 oz bottle contains 600 drops, or 300 adult doses.

 

TOP