Sunday, July 3, 2011

Radiation Detection: plastic materials, such as developing a glowing blue Univ.


(RadiationAlerts.org note. If this product was made into packaging for water, foods, even clothing, then today's issues, this invention has a big market.)

When exposed to gamma rays in a cup made of scintigraphy Rex, Assistant Professor Nakamura Kyoto offers blue-lighted

NIRS provides a kind of shed-Assistant Professor Nakamura made with gamma scintigraphy, etc. Rex cup
　A plastic material that glows blue when radiation hits, Kyoto University and NIRS, Chiba, developed by Teijin team. "Cinch Rex" was named. Cheap and easy to process the advantages are expected to be applied to carry dosimeters, which aims to commercialize this fall. 29, Journal of the European Physical Society Bulletin (electronic version) was released.
　Conventional radiation detector has been used to give substance when exposed to visible light radiation. Some use a plastic detector is a special process in order to give light, the production cost that it takes tens of thousands to several hundred thousand yen.
　Nakamura of Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute, Assistant Professor Hidehito team (radiation physics) last year and discovered that can detect the ultraviolet radiation hits the bottle on the market. Determine the sensitivity to radiation that is involved in the oxygen contained in the plastic was prepared by adding improvements.
　Performance is comparable to or larger than the conventional product, alpha, beta radiation, gamma rays capable of. The process can be easily mass produced, is reduced to one-tenth the cost of manufacturing. Measure the internal exposure "whole-body counter" that can be applied to large equipment such as.
　Assistant Professor Nakamura, "The impact of the first nuclear accident in Fukushima, which is required close to the radiation detector. Want to hang on the application of radiation detectors, such as mobile phone straps," he said. Yuka Saito]]

Friday, July 1, 2011

Nuclear industry, regulators maintain cozy relationship

Nuclear industry, regulators maintain cozy relationship.
(when will we learn)

The Associated Press





Industry and government officials defend their actions.




















The Star’s Mark Davis contributed to this report.



SOS Still Helping Chernobyl Children, Twenty-five Years Later

SOS Still Helping Chernobyl Children, Twenty-five Years Later 

SOS Children's Villages - Belarus
SOS children building a puzzle at SOS Belarus. Photo by Benno Neeleman
April 28, 2011: The 25th anniversary of the nuclear power plant explosion at Chernobyl, in Ukraine, comes at an especially poignant time, as Japan is in the throes of dealing with its own nuclear plant meltdown.
On April 26, 1986, radioactive matter from the number four reactor at Chernobyl erupted, traveling 80,000 square miles across Europe. Chernobyl released a hundred times more radiation than the atom bombs dropped during World War II on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
In areas in and around Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union, tens of thousands of residents were forced from their homes. Many have never returned. An estimated 70 percent of the noxious air landed on nearby Belarus, poisoning one-fifth of that nation’s cropland and affecting more than 2.2 million of its 10.4 million people. Half a million of those who suffered from the fallout were children.
SOS Children’s Villages entered Belarus expressly to help families cope with this terrible disaster. In 1996, SOS initiated its operations in Belarus by opening an SOS Children’s Village in Borovljany, 12 miles northeast of the capital Minsk. From the get-go, SOS Borovljany and its adjoining SOS Social Center catered to children from all over Belarus in need of medical assistance following the nuclear disaster.

More at: SOS Chernobyl 


Monday, May 23, 2011

Nuclear Radiation items YOU NEED! - Potassium Iodide

Nuclear Radiation items YOU NEED! - Potassium Iodide

YouTube - Fukushima Flush Radiation 10,000 times normal confirmed

good news report from RT news on current state of affairs in Japan. Old posting April , but very good.

YouTube - Radiation in US Milk Supply - Nuclear Crisis

Radiation in US Milk Supply - Nuclear Crisis

YouTube - Radiation in US Milk Supply - Nuclear Crisis: "Radiation in US Milk Supply - Nuclear Crisis"

Epidemiologist, Dr. Steven Wing, Discusses Global Radiation Exposures and Consequences with Gundersen on Vimeo


Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

What You Should Know about Potassium Iodide and Atomic Fallout

What You Should Know about Potassium Iodide and Atomic Fallout

The Nuclear Power Industry’s Historic Delay for Civilian Protection

On December 10, 2001 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) renewed its call for the widespread stockpiling of a thyroid-blocking medicine that prevents the absorption of radioactive iodine. Following the FDA announcement the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) ended its long-standing debate over the civilian stockpiling of potassium iodide (KI). The NRC declared that it will fund civilian supplies for one to two doses per individual for persons within the current 10-mile emergency planning zone of every nuclear power station in the US.  The American Thyroid Association had also urged the federal government to distribute KI with a particular focus on the vulnerability of children’s thyroid glands caught downwind of a radioactive iodine release from a nuclear power plant accident or sabotage. The nuclear industry and the NRC had previously argued against KI distribution saying it would be too hard to administrate and hinder more practical civilian evacuations in the event of an accident. In the wake of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and NRC revised their policy directing states to consider KI stockpiling and distribution.

In December 1978, the FDA first announced that it had determined that KI was safe and effective as a thyroid protection medicine in the event of a nuclear accident. At that time the agency was essentially ignored by NRC and FEMA neither of which took action to make KI publicly available. Three months following the FDA recommendation the Three Mile Island nuclear generating station had a core melt accident on March 28, 1979. On March 30, 1979 an FDA official arranged an emergency purchase order to Mallinckrodt Chemical Company for the immediate production of 250,000 doses of potassium iodide to begin distribution in Pennsylvania 24 hours later.  It was President Carter’s “Kemeny Commission” investigation into the aftermath of TMI that was first critical of the NRC’s failure to take precautionary action by distributing adequate supplies of the thyroid protection medicine.  The nuclear power industry would successfully lobby the NRC and FEMA against KI distribution for another 23 years to prevent a nationwide thyroid protection plan. Today, state governments are only beginning to implement a new NRC/FEMA guidance plan for KI distribution.

The government foot dragging stems more from nuclear industry’s concerted effort to protect its “safe power” image than protect the American public from a potential accident. Following the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power accident in Ukraine, the Polish government was prepared to distribute KI to millions of Poland’s children with apparent success in reducing the number of thyroid cancers and abnormalities that now plague other less fortunate populations in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine not afforded the medical protection.  While every nuclear power plant operator in the United States has stockpiled enough KI for its employees and emergency workers entire communities including children in our homes, daycare centers and schools are being denied the same level of immediate protection.

How KI Protects The Thyroid Gland From Radioactive Iodine Releases

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of the neck. While especially important to children for producing growth hormone, the thyroid gland also produces hormones which influence essentially every organ, every tissue and every cell in the body regulating the body's metabolism and organ function, affecting heart rate, cholesterol level, body weight, energy level, muscle strength, skin condition, menstrual regularity, memory and many other conditions.  To make thyroid hormone, the thyroid gland uses dietary iodine and supplements in salt, water and other sources.

Radioactive Iodine-131 generated in nuclear power plants is a major human health concern in an airborne release from a damaged reactor because its mobility and radioactivity, having an 8 day half-life. Radioactive iodine is quickly absorbed and concentrated by the thyroid. Researchers have consistently reported that children who were exposed to radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster are developing an aggressive form of thyroid cancer sooner and in larger numbers than expected. Children are particularly susceptible to thyroid cancer from radioactive iodine because their thyroid glands are small and concentrate the iodine from radioactive fallout because they drink more milk and get larger doses of radioactive iodine and because their thyroids are thought to be more vulnerable to radiation.

 Potassium iodide, if taken prior to the passage of the radioactive plume, saturates the thyroid gland with non-radioactive iodine and blocks the uptake of radioactive iodine so that it can be excreted. Prophylactic doses of KI can thus prevent thyroid cancers and other thyroid diseases that might otherwise be caused by exposure to radioactive iodine dispersed in a severe nuclear accident or sabotage.  While KI is considered by the FDA to be safe and effective enough for over-the-counter distribution, the necessary dosage levels and duration of KI uptake are still considered a medicine by the American Thyroid Association and people are advised to consult a physician and pediatrician for appropriate dosages.

Potassium Iodide Does Not Protect Against All Radiation Exposure

 The stockpiling of KI should be viewed as an important precaution for communities downwind of nuclear power plants. But radioactive iodine is only one of many radioactive by-products that would be simultaneously released from a damaged reactor.  For example, a release would also contain radioactive fallout of cesium-137 and strontium-90 each with a half-life of 30 years.

While broadly categorized as an “anti-radiation” pill, KI does not protect populations caught downwind from these other long-lived radioactive isotopes. People caught under a passing radioactive cloud would also be exposed to whole body doses of harmful gamma rays and potentially lethal radiation sickness. Inhalation and ingestion of other radioactive gases and particulate would cause cancers and diseases in the lungs, digestive system, blood and reproductive organs.

For further information contact: Nuclear Information and Resource Service,
1424 16th Street NW Suite 404,
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. 202-328-0002

























Sunday, May 8, 2011

Radiation Protection Video Presentations

Radiation Protection Video Presentations

The sites contingency based RPS radiation safety training courses for the Fire, Police and other interested parties offer a cost effective solution for dealing with CBRN (Radiological & Nuclear) and HAZMAT events.

Very helpful site in understanding radiation doses, protect

absorbed dose rate Japan (stations list)

WOWeather.com has compiled a full absorbed dose rate in Japan. Very helpful.

absorbed dose rate Japan (stations list)

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Radiation - NIRS

“There is no safe level of exposure and there is no dose of (ionizing) radiation so low that the risk of a malignancy is zero”--Dr. Karl Morgan, the father of Health Physics"

Read the full story Radiation - NIRS

Radiation and Children: The Ignored Victims

Radiation and Children: The Ignored Victims

that we do not need a nuclear accident to cause disease.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

How To Remove Radioactive Iodine-131 From Drinking Water - Jeff McMahon - The Ingenuity of the Commons - Forbes


Foods Most Prone to Radioactive Contamination: Dairy, Spinach, Mushrooms, Berries

What foods Most Prone to Radioactive Contamination: Dairy, Spinach, Mushrooms, Berries

Melissa Patterson, ND - Newsletter Archive

Radioactive Fallout and the Jet Stream
Radioactive fallout is defined as radioactive material that is carried by winds until it settles to earth. Under some circumstances you may see the fallout; under others you may not. The radioactivity it gives off cannot be seen. You can't feel it. You can't smell it, but fallout doesn't come out of the sky like a gas and seep into everything. It can best be described as a fine to coarse sand carried by the winds. Because the wind direction varies at different heights above the ground, it is not possible to judge from the ground where the fallout will settle. It can settle in irregular patterns hundreds of miles. Here are two websites for following the jet stream and fallout pattern.
Accuweather says that fallout could come to the Pacific Coast as early as 10 days from the date of the explosion in Japan. There have been several fires and explosions already at the Fukushima 1 plant which has six reactors.
Endtimes started tracking "hotspots" that landed in Oregon as early as Sunday, March 13, 2011.

Supplements to Start Taking Now
The following are supplements that I recommend that you start taking now to help your body prepare preemptively for radiation. They are relatively inexpensive and generally locally available: All of the following supplements in this first section except rutin can be found at Whole Foods and other natural food stores.

Herbal Remedies
Here is a list of medicinal herbs that I recommend you take for radiation exposure. You can take them as a tea, a tincture or as individual encapsulated herbs. You can get individual herbal tinctures online at Herb Pharm or get a custom combination tincture made at Farmacopiain Santa Rosa, CA.

Burdock Root (Arctium lappa)
- removes radioactive isotopes from the body.
Recommended Dose - 1-4 ounces/300-120 grams of cooked fresh root, up to a pint of infusion daily, or several large spoonfuls of vinegar but only if made with fresh roots. Tincture - 15-20 drops 3 times a day.
Contraindications - do not use Burdock during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Cilantro Leaf (Coriandum sativum)
- natural heavy metal chelator (i.e. plutonium and cesium are heavy metals.) Therefore, it helps to eliminate them out of the body.
Recommended Dose - Take 1-3 dropperfuls daily of tincture or eat large amounts of fresh cilantro

Eleuthero/Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
- helps protect against the side effects of radiation exposure.
Recommended Dose - 500-3000 mg. in capsule form. Tincture: 15-20 drops three times a day.

Holy Basil/Tulsi Aerial Parts (Ocimum sanctum)
- preliminary research shows evidence that Holy Basil protects against radiation-induced peroxidation, thus helping to protect against the detrimental effects of low-level radiation. It also increases glutathione and superoxide dismutase which are important mediators in the liver in helping the body deal with radiation.
Recommended Dose - Tincture: 40–60 drops, three times per day. Tea: add 1 tsp. dried leaf to 8 oz. hot water, steep, covered, 5–10 minutes. Take 4 oz. of tea up to three times per day. Capsules: various forms of capsulated products are available. These include extracts in gelcaps, dried or powdered herb in capsules, and standardized extracts (2 percent ursolic acid) in capsules.
Contraindications - Holy Basil should not be taken while pregnant or nursing or for an extended period of time. Use caution if you have high blood pressure or rheumatic heart disease.

Reishi Mushroom Fruiting Bodies (Ganoderma lucidum)
- offers protection against ionizing radiation
Preventive Dose - 400 mg. take 2 caps or 1 dropperful of tincture up to 3 times per-day.
Dose Upon Radiation Exposure - take the same dose up to 6 times per day
Contraindications – None.

Laminaria Japonica
- probably the most important seaweed in helping decrease radiation in our body. This seaweed was the secret weapon of Russian doctors that saved thousands of innocent people from disease after nuclear fallout from Chernobyl. It can be quite hard to find. Try Body Ecology.
Recommended Dose - 1500 mg/day
Seaweeds are not only a great natural source of nutrients, they are very effective at removing radiation from the body as they contain sodium alginate. There are literally thousands of different types of seaweeds but some of the most popular seaweeds are arame, wakame, kombu, hijiki, bladderwrack, rockweed, sea lettuce, and dulse. You can find them in your local health food store and various oriental grocery stores in your neighborhood in their natural form, or in flakes, flat sheets, and powders. They can be mixed in soups and salads, or eaten by themselves. If you don't like the taste of seaweeds, or you want something more convenient you can find various seaweed supplements in capsules or tablets. One high quality seaweed supplement made with four organic seaweeds in a capsule is
by RegalLife™. It also contains organic alfalfa which is also found to be beneficial at removing radiation becomes of its rich chlorophyll content.
The Atomic Energy Commission recommends for maximum protection against radioactive poisoning for humans, taking a minimum of 2 to 3 ounces of sea vegetables a week or 10 grams (two tablespoons) a day of sodium alginate supplements. During or after exposure to radiation, the dose should be increased to two full tablespoons of alginate four times daily to insure that there is a continual supply in the GI or gastrointestinal tract. There may be a rare problem of constipation but this can be avoided if the sodium alginate is made into a fruit gelatin. Agar, derived from sodium alginate in kelp, is a safe, nontoxic substance that can be used as a thickening agent or gelatin. Sea vegetables are also high in natural iodine. However, I recommend sticking to potassium iodide as discussed below.

Other Supplements

-a bioflavonoid that can also be found in lower doses in vitamin C supplements containing bioflavonoids. Rutin is glucoside found in buckwheat that can help protect the body from the effects of radiation. Itstrengthens the capillary walls and reduces hemorrhaging caused by x-rays. In animal studies it was shown to reduce the death rate caused by excessive x-rays by 800 per cent.
Preventive Dose - 100 to 200 mg a day.
Dose Upon Radiation Exposure - 800 mg. or more a day. I
Contraindications – none

- protects DNA from radiation damage and helps prevent damage to the skin surface, too. Get plenty of selenium by eating a daily dose of 2 cups/500 ml of nettle infusion, one-half ounce/15 g kelp, 2 ounces/60 g cooked burdock root, or 1 cup/250 ml organic yogurt daily. Shellfish, green and black teas, and garlic contain significant amounts of selenium, as do many mushrooms. The best sources however are nettles (2200 mcg per 100 grams), kelp (1700 mcg/100 g), Burdock (1400 mcg/100 g), Catnip (Nepeta cataria), American Ginseng, and Eleuthero which is also known as Siberian Ginseng and Astragalus.

Vitamin A
- In 1974, researchers from India found that vitamin A, when taken internally by humans, hastened recovery from radiation. In 1984, Dr. Eli Seifter and a team of researchers for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine reported that vitamin A and beta-carotene counteracted both partial and total body gamma radiation. It also improved the healing of wounds; reduced weight loss, thymic and splenic atrophy, and adrenal enlargement; and prevented gastro-ulceration and an abnormal decrease in red and white blood cell formation. For therapeutic purposes, 25,000 to 35,000 IU is the recommended dose for adults. During emergencies or crisis situations, intensive exposure may warrant higher amounts.
Contraindications - can be toxic if taken too much over a long period of time. Vitamin A can also be toxic to pregnant woman and their babies.

Vitamin B-Complex
- many B vitamins, especially pantothenic acid, help to decrease the effects of radiation. One of its many functions is that they normalize the red and white blood cell count because the destruction of white blood cells by radiation can last for extended periods of time. The various B vitamins have different effects and should be taken together.Take the dose recommended on the bottle.

Vitamin C with bioflavonoids
- this is a VERY IMPORTANT supplement as it protects against intercellular damage from radiation.
Preventive Dose: 2-5 grams per day
Dose Upon Radiation Exposure - 2-5 gram per day
Contraindications - when you start having diarrhea back off 500 mg until you reach bowel tolerance.

Vitamin E
- can provide internal and external protection against Cesium-137 which is a common component of fallout and a reported component in the fallout from Japan. Vitamin E also helps prevent the destruction of vitamin A and fatty acids by massive doses of x-rays. If large doses of C, B and E are taken before exposure, the terrible symptoms of radiation sickness can be reduced or eliminated to a large degree.
Preventive Dose - an adult weighting 155lbs should take 900 IU per day of Vitamin E as d-alpha-tocopherol.
Dose Upon Radiation Exposure - up to 1600 IU per day.

Additional Recommended Supplements That Are More Expensive and/or Difficult To Find

Beta-1,3 glucan
- In a controlled study done at the US Armed Forces Radiobiology Institute, 70% of rats given a lethal dose of radiation were completely protected from radiation effects when given a dose of yeast beta glucan by mouth after the radiation exposure. Beta glucan is a free radical scavenger. It is able to protect blood macrophages from free radical attack during and after the radiation allowing these cells to continue to function in the irradiated body and release factors important to the restoration of normal bone marrow production. This supplement is very expensive, but worth it. Reishi mushroom is high in beta 1,3 glucan if you just want to take that.
Recommended Dose - 500 mg cap/1 time a day

Additional Recommendations Upon Exposure
Here are some additional recommendations if you think you have been exposed to radiation. First and foremost, don’t panic.

Potassium Iodide
- take this as soon as you can once you know you have been exposed. This is a VERY IMPORTANT supplement that helps protect you if you are exposed to Iodine131. It does not help with exposure to any other isotopes. Because it is such an important supplement I recommend IOSAT only FDA approved potassium iodide that is in sealed containers. IOSAT is available online.
Potassium Iodide Recommended Dose from the FDA and the CDC:

  • Adults should take 130 mg (one 130 mg tablet OR two 65 mg tablets OR two ml of solution).
  • Children between 3 and 18 years of age should take 65 mg (one 65 mg tablet OR 1 ml of solution). Children who are adult size (greater than or equal to 150 pounds) should take the full adult dose regardless of their age.
  • Infants and children between 1 month and 3 years of age should take 32 mg (½ of a 65 mg tablet or ½ ml of solution). This dose is for both nursing and non-nursing infants and children.
  • Newborns from birth to 1 month of age should be given 16 mg (¼ of a 65 mg tablet or ¼ ml of solution). This dose is for both nursing and non-nursing newborn infants.

Contraindications - do not take if you are not exposed and take as little as possible, i.e. only when you know that you have been exposed.

- ½ cup of any cold pressed oil if you are exposed will help protect the cell membranes. Extra virgin olive oil is preferred.

Bentonite Clay
- helps to eradicate toxins radiation/toxins. It is generally advisable to start with 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay daily, mixed with a small amount of juice. Pay attention to the results for a week and then gradually increase the dose to no more than 4 tablespoons daily in divided doses.Make sure you drink plenty of chlorine-free water throughout the day. You can also use other forms of edible clay such as French green clay.

Sea Salt and Baking Soda Baths
- add 1 pound of sea salt and 1 pound of baking soda and soak in chlorine-free water for 20 minutes. Then rinse with cool water. You can also 1 pound of betonite, or other clay, to the sea salt and baking soda when soaking which increases the removal of radiation. Some specialists who work with radioactive isotopes use this method to remove radiation from their body. If you have been exposed to an abnormally high level of radiation you can use this method three times a week for one month.

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
- good for preventing cell nicking from ionizing radiation.
Recommended dose - 5-10 ml per day

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum)
- helps the liver deal with the effects of toxicity of radiation poisoning.
Recommended dose -1-3 dropperfuls of tincture per day

- helps protect the brain against radiation
Recommended dose - 1-2 mg Caution - only take Melatonin at night!

- helps protect the cell membranes
Recommended dose - 2-3 tbsp. a day

- a number of studies found that chlorophyll-rich foods can decrease radiation toxicity. Spirulina and chlorella are two micro-algae that are rich in this substance, as are leafy greens, celery, parsley, the sprouts of any grain or bean, the young shoots of any edible grass, such as wheat and barley, and sunflower greens. Chlorophyll is similar in structure to hemoglobin. Guinea pigs on a diet rich in chlorophyll showed increased resistance to lethal X-rays. Organic alfalfa is a good source of natural chlorophyll.

- has been used to treat radiation sickness. It is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and/or soybeans, with salt and the fungus kojikin, the most typical miso being made with soy. Miso is widely available in most natural food stores and many grocery stores.

Other Foods that help the body decrease the effects of radiation
- garlic, onions, beets, kale, brewer’s yeast/nutritional yeast, green tea/black tea, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, watercress, apples, guavas, quince, plums, gooseberries, oranges and other citrus fruits, pineapple, seaweed (see above).
In the light of the catastrophe at hand I invite us all to stay calm and focused, knowing that this too shall pass one way or another. May we use this opportunity to realize the beauty and fragility of life, as well as, to give thanks for what we have. And, may people finally awaken to the fact that nuclear power does NOT work in any form no matter what the benefits.

Note on taking supplements:
The above supplements have been shown through research to be effective in decreasing the detrimental effects of radiation on the body. There is a lot of information here. If you only want to do a few supplements, I recommend sticking with the supplements in the first half of the document, since they have the most scientific evidence supporting their use. The doses given are what is determined as safe for an average adult. If you are breastfeeding, pregnant or want to give the supplements to a child, please do further research to see if they are safe for you or your child and what the specific dose would be. Also, if you are sensitive to medications or supplements, please stick to the lower dose. Lastly, some supplements are recommended in higher doses after exposure. If you choose to do this, please note that some side effects might occur with some of these supplements. Please do further research on what you are taking before you take the maximum dose. If you have any serious illnesses or are on medications please talk to your healthcare provider to get more detailed information to ensure these supplements are safe for you prior to taking them.
This article contains general information about medical conditions and treatments. The information is not advice, and should not be treated as such. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing paragraph, Dr. Melissa Patterson does not warrant that the medical information in this article is complete, true, accurate, up-to-date, or non-misleading. You must not rely on the information in this article as an alternative to medical advice from your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. If you have any specific questions about any medical matter you should consult your doctor or other professional healthcare provider. The medical information in this article is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied. Dr. Melissa Patterson makes no representations or warranties in relation to the medical information in this article.
Melissa Patterson, ND - Newsletter ArchiveMelissa Patterson, ND - Newsletter Archive
What are the risks ?
The CRIIRAD received over a thousand calls and requests concerning the impact of
airborne contamination masses in France : What are the risks for my health ? For my
children ? for the child I am expecting ? Do we need to protect ourselves? If so, how can
we protect ourselves ?

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 1

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 1 * You should only take potassium iodide (KI) on the advice of emergency management officials, public health officials, or your doctor. * There are health risks associated with taking KI. What is Potassium Iodide (KI)? Potassium iodide (also called KI) is a salt of stable (not radioactive) iodine. Stable iodine is an important chemical needed by the body to make thyroid hormones. Most of the stable iodine in our bodies comes from the food we eat. KI is stable iodine in a medicine form. This fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gives you some basic information about KI. It explains what you should think about before you or a family member takes KI. What does KI do? Following a radiological or nuclear event, radioactive iodine may be released into the air and then be breathed into the lungs. Radioactive iodine may also contaminate the local food supply and get into the body through food or through drink. When radioactive materials get into the body through breathing, eating, or drinking, we say that “internal contamination” has occurred. In the case of internal contamination with radioactive iodine, the thyroid gland quickly absorbs this chemical. Radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid can then injure the gland. Because non-radioactive KI acts to block radioactive iodine from being taken into the thyroid gland, it can help protect this gland from injury.

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 2

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 2 What KI cannot do Knowing what KI cannot do is also important. KI cannot prevent radioactive iodine from entering the body. KI can protect only the thyroid from radioactive iodine, not other parts of the body. KI cannot reverse the health effects caused by radioactive iodine once damage to the thyroid has occurred. KI cannotprotect the body from radioactive elements other than radioactive iodine—if radioactive iodine is not present, taking KI is not protective. How does KI work? The thyroid gland cannot tell the difference between stable and radioactive iodine and will absorb both. KI works by blocking radioactive iodine from entering the thyroid. When a person takes KI, the stable iodine in the medicine gets absorbed by the thyroid. Because KI contains so much stable iodine, the thyroid gland becomes “full” and cannot absorb any more iodine—either stable or radioactive—for the next 24 hours. Iodized table salt also contains iodine; iodized tablesalt contains enough iodine to keep most people healthy under normal conditions. However, table salt does not contain enough iodine to block radioactive iodine from getting into your thyroid gland. You should not use table salt as a substitute for KI. How well does KI work? Knowing that KI may not give a person 100% protection against radioactive iodine is important. How well KI blocks radioactive iodine depends on * how much time passes between contamination with radioactive iodine and the taking of KI (the sooner a person takes KI, the better), * how fast KI is absorbed into the blood, and * the total amount of radioactive iodine to which a person is exposed. Who should take KI? The thyroid glands of a fetus and of an infant are most at risk of injury from radioactive iodine. Young children and people with low stores of iodine in their thyroid are also at risk of thyroid injury. Infants (including breast-fed infants): Infants need to be given the recommended dosage of KI for babies (see How much KI should I take?). The amount of KI that gets into breast milk is not enough to protect breast-fed infants from exposure to radioactive iodine. The proper dose of KI given to a nursing infant will help protect it from radioactive iodine that it breathes in or drinks in breast milk. Children: The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that all children internally contaminated with (or likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine take KI, unless they have known allergies to iodine. Children from newborn to 18 years of age are the most sensitive to the potentially harmful effects of radioactive iodine. Young Adults: The FDA recommends that young adults (between the ages of 18 and 40 years) internally contaminated with (or likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine take the recommended dose of KI. Young adults are less sensitive to the effects of radioactive iodine than are children. Pregnant Women: Because all forms of iodine cross the placenta, pregnant women should take KI to protect the growing fetus. However, pregnant women should take only one dose of KI following internal contamination with (or likely internal contamination with) radioactive iodine. Breastfeeding Women: Women who are breastfeeding should take only one dose of KI if they have been internally contaminated with (or are likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine. Because radioactive iodine quickly gets into breast milk, CDC recommends that women internally contaminated with (or are likely to be internally contaminated with) radioactive iodine stop breastfeeding and feed their child baby formula or other food if it is available. If breast milk is the only food available for an infant, nursing should continue.

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 3

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 3 Adults: Adults older than 40 years should not take KI unless public health or emergency management officials say that contamination with a very large dose of radioactive iodine is expected. Adults older than 40 years have the lowest chance of developing thyroid cancer or thyroid injury after contamination with radioactive iodine. They also have a greater chance of having allergic reactions to KI. When should I take KI? After a radiologic or nuclear event, local public health or emergency management officials will tell the public if KI or other protective actions are needed. For example, public health officials may advise you to remain in your home, school, or place of work (this is known as “shelter-in-place”) or to evacuate. You may also be told not to eat some foods and not to drink some beverages until a safe supply can be brought in from outside the affected area. Following the instructions given to you by these authorities can lower the amount of radioactive iodine that enters your body and lower the risk of serious injury to your thyroid gland. How much KI should I take? The FDA has approved two different forms of KI—tablets and liquid—that people can take by mouth after a nuclear radiation emergency. Tablets come in two strengths, 130 milligram (mg) and 65 mg. The tablets are scored so they may be cut into smaller pieces for lower doses. Each milliliter (mL) of the oral liquid solution contains 65 mg of KI. According to the FDA, the following doses are appropriate to take after internal contamination with (or likely internal contamination with) radioactive iodine: * Adults should take 130 mg (one 130 mg tablet OR two 65 mg tablets OR two mL of solution). * Women who are breastfeeding should take the adult dose of 130 mg. * Children between 3 and 18 years of age should take 65 mg (one 65 mg tablet OR 1 mL of solution). Children who are adult size (greater than or equal to 150 pounds) should take the full adult dose, regardless of their age. * Infants and children between 1 month and 3 years of age should take 32 mg (½ of a 65 mg tablet OR ½ mL of solution). This dose is for both nursing and non-nursing infants and children. · Newborns from birth to 1 month of age should be given 16 mg (¼ of a 65 mg tablet or ¼ mL of solution). This dose is for both nursing and non-nursing newborn infants.

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 4

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 4 How often should I take KI? A single dose of KI protects the thyroid gland for 24 hours. A one-time dose at the levels recommended in this fact sheet is usually all that is needed to protect the thyroid gland. In some cases, radioactive iodine might be in the environment for more than 24 hours. If that happens, local emergency management or public health officials may tell you to take one dose of KI every 24 hours for a few days. You should do this only on the advice of emergency management officials, public health officials, or your doctor. Avoid repeat dosing with KI for pregnant and breastfeeding women and newborn infants. Those individuals may need to be evacuated until levels of radioactive iodine in the environment fall. Taking a higher dose of KI, or taking KI more often than recommended, does not offer more protection and can cause severe illness or death. Medical conditions that may make it harmful to take KI Taking KI may be harmful for some people because of the high levels of iodine in this medicine. You should not take KI if • you know you are allergic to iodine (If you are unsure about this, consult your doctor. A seafood or shellfish allergy does not necessarily mean that you are allergic to iodine.) or • you have certain skin disorders (such as dermatitis herpetiformis or urticaria vasculitis). People with thyroid disease (for example, multinodular goiter, Graves’ disease, or autoimmune thyroiditis) may be treated with KI. This should happen under careful supervision of a doctor, especially if dosing lasts for more than a few days. In all cases, talk to your doctor if you are not sure whether to take KI. What are the possible risks and side effects of KI? When public health or emergency management officials tell the public to take KI following a radiologic or nuclear event, the benefits of taking this drug outweigh the risks. This is true for all age groups. Some general side effects caused by KI may include intestinal upset, allergic reactions (possibly severe), rashes, and inflammation of the salivary glands. When taken as recommended, KI causes only rare adverse health effects that specifically involve the thyroid gland. In general, you are more likely to have an adverse health effect involving the thyroid gland if you * take a higher than recommended dose of KI, * take the drug for several days, or * have pre-existing thyroid disease.

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 5

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 5 Newborn infants (less than 1 month old) who receive more than one dose of KI are at particular risk for developing a condition known as hypothyroidism (thyroid hormone levels that are too low). If not treated, hypothyroidism can cause brain damage. Infants who receive KI should have their thyroid hormone levels checked and monitored by a doctor. Avoid repeat dosing of KI to newborns. Where can I get KI? KI is available without a prescription. You should talk to your pharmacist to get KI and for directions about how to take it correctly. Your pharmacist can sell you KI brands that have been approved by the FDA. Other Sources of Information * The FDA recommendations on KI can be reviewed on the Internet at Frequently Asked Questions on Potassium Iodide (KI) . * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emergency Response Site is available at CDC Radiation Emergencies. [4/9/2011 2:09:26 PM] David: Radiation Emergencies CDC has a key role in protecting the public's health in an emergency involving the release of radiation that could harm people's health. This site provides information to help people protect themselves during and after such an event. It also provides information for professionals involved in planning for and responding to this type of emergency.

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 6

Potassium Iodide (KI) Key Facts 6 On March 11, CDC immediately activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Atlanta to respond to the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami and radiation release in Japan. CDC continues to closely monitor the effects of this disaster and is focused on making sure it is ready to support any requests that come in from Japanese colleagues related to public health. Japan: Radiation and Health * Radiation Doses (EPA) * Food and Water Safety * Radioisotope Brief: Iodine-131 (I-131) * Radioisotope Brief: Cesium-137 (Cs-137) * Radiation Dictionary Fact Sheets * FAQs About Iodine-131 Found in Surface Water * FAQs About Iodine-131 Found in Milk * Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) * Potassium Iodide (KI) * Prussian Blue * All Fact Sheets > Japan: Info for Specific Groups * Travelers * Clinicians * More groups... Related Resources * Social Media * What is CDC's Role in Emergencies ? * U.S. Government Response to Japan Events (USAgov) * Radiation Control Programs (CRCPD) * Recent Emergency Radiation Preparedness Conference 2011 Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Current Situation * Nuclear Regulatory Commission * Department of Homeland Security Radiation and Health * Radioisotope Brief: Iodine-131 (I-131) * Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS): Fact Sheet for the Public Radiation and Treatment * Potassium Iodide (KI) * Prussian Blue Visit the full CDC Radiation Emergencies website. Your Health and Safety * Protecting Yourself and Your Family Protecting Yourself and Your Family Preparing for an emergency and what to do during an emergency * Health Effects and Treatment sHealth Effects and Treatments Health effects such as acute radiation syndrome; potential treatments (potassium iodide, Prussian blue, DTPA, Neupogen) * Radiation and Pregnancy Radiation and Pregnancy Possible health effects of radiation on pregnant women * Types of Radiation Emergencies Types of Radiation Emergencies Terrorist events (such as dirty bombs and nuclear blasts) and unintentional emergencies (such as reactor accidents)

Thursday, April 21, 2011