WASHINGTON (AP) -- Making potassium iodide pills available to people who live near nuclear power plants was endorsed Thursday by the National Research Council.
The pills can help protect the thyroid gland of people exposed to radiation, if taken promptly after a radioactive release occurs.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced in late 2001 it would provide the pills to states with nuclear plants on request, so they could have the material on hand if needed in an emergency.
Agency officials said Wednesday that has been done, and handling and distribution of the pills is up to the states.
The council report, requested by Congress, agreed that the pills could be effective if taken within a few hours of exposure to radiation. It said the pills should be made available to everyone age 40 or younger, especially children and pregnant and lactating women.
The pills work by flooding the thyroid with nonradioactive iodine, thus preventing it from absorbing radioactive iodine, which can cause damage.
But potassium iodide has just one use -- to prevent thyroid cancer by shielding the thyroid from radioactive iodine. It blocks no other type of radiation and protects no other body part.
Just as with any medication, overdoses of potassium iodide can be dangerous. Some people may experience allergic reactions, including nausea or rashes, from taking it.
The council is an arm of the National Academy of Sciences, an independent organization chartered by Congress to advise the government on science matters.
