© 2002 by Oxford University Press
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 94, No. 2, 86,
January 16, 2002
© 2002 Oxford University Press
NEWS |
Congress Considers Stockpiling Potassium Iodide
In the aftermath of Sept. 11, safeguarding the American people against the potential horrors of bioterrorism has become a primary public health issue for the 107th Congress, with almost 40 bills containing bioterrorism provisions introduced since the tragedy.
The measures are designed to fortify the federal government’s ability to prevent or respond to acts of biological warfare, including attacks on nuclear power plants. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission concedes that, although the facilities were built to withstand natural disasters like earthquakes, they may not be invulnerable to the kind of terrorist activity the United States experienced on Sept. 11.
Congress is considering a number of bills that instruct federal agencies to stockpile and distribute potassium iodide to protect the public against thyroid cancer in the event of a radiation emergency. A single dose of potassium iodide floods the thyroid with stable iodine for up to 24 hours, effectively blocking the uptake of radioactive iodine.
U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has been a proponent of potassium iodide stockpiling, saying potassium iodide is "to radiation exposure what Cipro is to anthrax."
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce bill on bioterrorism contained language about potassium iodide stockpiling, which Markey put into the bill. It passed in the House with near unanimous support. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to oversee distribution efforts. At press time, the bill had not yet been taken up by the Senate.
In December, the Food and Drug Administration issued a guidance on the use of potassium iodide to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of radiation exposure.
In the event of a radiation emergency, the FDA recommends administering a single dose of potassium iodide to everyone within the range of potential exposure, with repeat dosing if required by persistent contamination, with special considerations for pregnant women and infants under 1 month old.
Although the FDA first published guidelines in 1982, the new revision supercedes those and draws heavily from analysis of data from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident.
The Potassium Iodide Working Group, a multi-agency task force, said that the Chernobyl data provides the best evidence so far of the link between radioiodine exposure and thyroid cancer risk. It also gives the scientific community solid information about the safety and efficacy of potassium iodide in preventing thyroid cancer, especially in children, who are particularly susceptible.
According to the recent scientific literature, the Chernobyl accident exposed people to radioiodine predominantly through ingestion—drinking fresh milk from cows that have eaten contaminated vegetation and, to a lesser degree, eating contaminated vegetables. While controlling this route of exposure is the best prevention, potassium iodide treatment serves as an extra precaution.
The FDA stresses that use of potassium iodide is not a substitute for evacuation, sheltering and control of the food and milk supply. Potassium iodide has no protective effect against other radionuclides, and those who oppose stockpiling potassium iodide assert that a nuclear accident or attack would likely release many other radioactive materials.
The NRC has offered to make potassium iodide available to states that want it, but only four states currently maintain stockpiles. The Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety maintains that distributing potassium iodide would be logistically difficult and may give people a false sense of security that could hamper evacuation efforts.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||