Radiation scare causes demand for Potassium Iodide pills

In the wake of the tragedy in Japan that has caused a recent scare of radiation exposure spreading to the United States, doctors are beginning to debate the safety of the Potassium Iodide pills.

Pharmacies all over the country are seeing a high demand of Potassium Iodide, which is said to inundate the thyroid gland and prevent the absorption of radioactive iodine.

Cyrus Rangan, the assistant medical director for California Poison Control, said although radiation poisoning is a catastrophe in Japan, it is not a big health risk for residents in California.

“As far as health hazards for exposures to toxic things in California, we have a lot more to worry about with things in our home than the radiation reaching us from Japan,” Rangan said.

Currently the United States government has made Potassium Iodide available to U.S. workers and their families in Japan.

However doctors are beginning to show concern for people in the U.S. who are taking the pill on their own. They say that these pills should only be consumed if there is radiation exposure, but health officials say there are no signs of high radiation levels in California.

In fact, health officials say people with thyroid problems who take Potassium Iodide can actually make their poor health worse, reported the Los Angeles Times.