Since Ukraine has been bombed by Russia, the entire Western world has been thrown into uncertainty. Many people react to their fear and bewilderment by hoarding purchases – even at the pharmacy. Iodine tablets are sold out in many cases to protect against a possible nuclear event. But when is iodine supplementation actually useful and when should you rather leave it alone?
Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine has also plunged many people in this country into uncertainty and fear. Above all, there is great fear of a nuclear attack and its consequences. For not only has fighting broken out in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, Ukraine operates 15 nuclear reactors at four sites, as well as research laboratories that work with radioactive sources. Apart from Russia’s possible use of nuclear weapons. Therefore, the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) continuously measures radioactivity in the air of Switzerland. In addition, the FOPH is in regular contact with national and international experts. Iodine tablets are considered radiation protection in case of an emergency. But whether iodine tablets must be taken in Switzerland after a nuclear incident abroad is not a matter of principle. This depends on the circumstances of the event, such as event type and location, scale, and wind conditions. The use of iodine tablets as a protective measure for the Swiss population is primarily intended in the event of an accident at a nuclear power plant in Switzerland or in a neighboring country, if radioactive iodine escapes as a result. Radioactive iodine may be released in a nuclear event. To prevent it from accumulating in the thyroid gland, non-radioactive iodine is taken in the form of a high-dose tablet. In Switzerland, the NAC orders the intake of such iodine tablets. The prerequisite for this is that the threshold value of the radiation dose to the thyroid caused by radioactive iodine can be exceeded. Iodine tablets also do not protect against all radioactive elements, but only against the harmful effects of radioactive iodine on the thyroid gland. Other radioactive elements require additional protective measures, such as a protected stay (in house, basement or shelter) to protect from the direct radiation of the radioactive cloud. The tablets should not be taken as a preventive measure, as their protective effect may already have been degraded by the time of radioactive exposure.
Source: Federal Office of Public Health FOPH
InFo ONCOLOGY & HEMATOLOGY 2022; 10(2): 40.
