New nuke pills on order for Carolinas [View All]

[babylonsister]

:wtf: Will all those new nuclear facilities being planned have to supply the locals with nuke pills?

New nuke pills on order for region
Distribution in works; KI tablets for thyroid from '01 likely still OK
KATHRYN THIER

Plans are under way to distribute pills to 1.4 million people in the Carolinas to protect them in a nuclear disaster, replacing ones distributed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

But don't throw away the old potassium iodide pills yet, public health officials urge. The Food and Drug Administration has extended their shelf life for two years.

Known by its chemical symbol, KI, potassium iodide helps reduce the risk of thyroid cancer, which can be caused by radiation exposure. It was the No. 1 illness following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the former Soviet Union.

A nuclear incident can create many other health risks, such as death from the blast or radiation exposure. Potassium iodide pills protect only against some thyroid cancers associated with a nuclear disaster.

Despite the shelf life extension, Carolinas officials are ordering new doses now. About 400,000 Charlotte region residents live within 10 miles of the area's two nuclear power plants, with thousands more who drive into those areas to work.

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http://www.charlotte.com/112/story/296456.html