- As the nation completely rethinks the subject of civil
defense, now referred to as homeland security, the effects of over two
decades of complacent thinking in the area of public preparedness has suddenly
been bought into sharp focus. Among the many weaknesses highlighted by
the events of 9/11 and the follow on threats was that of the nation's lack
of civil preparedness measures for nuclear emergencies.
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- After more than twenty years of debate at the federal
level, the US government last December formally acted on funding the acquisition
of a national stockpile of potassium iodide tablets, the compound used
to protect the thyroid gland from radioactive iodine poisoning during a
nuclear emergency. While the basic decision has been met with applause,
it is interesting to note that the United States is the last developed
country in the world to make this decision.
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- Given the well publicized, mounting concerns over the
spread of nuclear weapons to developing nations, threats of missing suitcase
nukes, dirty radiological bombs, and the presence of over 100 nuclear reactors
in 31 states, one would conclude that more than two decades of study and
debate would have produced a comprehensive plan of action to make the pill
quickly available to the whole of the population. Such is not the case.
Herein, the US is unique among developed nations.
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- The result of the decades-long debate is simply a directive
that each state review their individual emergency response plans and the
consideration of the use of potassium iodide therein, as well as an offer
by the NRC to purchase an initial supply of the pills for those states
that request them. The net effect is that the debate is now subdivided
into fifty smaller, yet identical debates. To date, less than 10 states
have acted on the offer, three of which (Alabama, Arizona, and Tennessee)
already stockpiled the pills.
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- What about the rest of us?
- Most current state and federal emergency response planning
seems to ignore the wealth of established knowledge on the effects of radioiodine
poisoning, as well as how widespread it's impact following the Chernobyl
accident. For instance, thyroid cancer, directly resulting from the Chernobyl
accident, has been well documented up to 320 miles from the site.
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- Of the few states which already maintain a small stockpile
of potassium iodide tablets, in all cases these are intended for emergency
workers, residents within a 10 mile Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) around
reactor sites, as well as those who would be difficult to evacuate, such
as with the elderly or hospital patients.
-
- These policies beg the questions; why only ten miles
and what about the rest of the downwind population? If the supply of potassium
iodide is not on hand, how will those between the EPZ and 320 miles downrange
be protected? For potassium iodide to be completely effective, it must
be taken before exposure to radioactive iodine.
-
- Current plans also assume that the source of the radiation
threat will be a nuclear power plant. Given the recent publicity of a missing
suitcase nukes and the threat of dirty radiological weapons, how will the
government respond if a terrorist act occurred, say, in Portland, or the
center of Los Angeles?
-
- Regrettably, most current planning is based on the assumption
that federal, state and local emergency officials will be able to adequately
warn, and if needed, evacuate, the general population outside of the emergency
planning zone in advance of radiation dangers, as well as be able to supply
uncontaminated food sources in a timely manner. Advocates chuckle at the
notion that emergency response plans can be implemented faster than prevailing
winds can carry a plume downrange.
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- A common argument against widespread distribution is
the fear that the public would view the pill as a panacea, and thus, a
replacement for evacuation. Here, advocates and pure logic indicate that
with the new public awareness of nuclear threats, panic evacuations would
occur anyhow, which would further delay emergency distribution of the pills.
Many consider such arguments an insult, given no national effort to educate
the public on civil defense matters since the 1960's.
-
- And finally, the most frequently used argument against
widespread distribution is fear of side effects. Such rational goes completely
against established facts regarding the safety of potassium iodide.
-
- In 1999, a World Health Organization report3 indicates
that side effects from the use of potassium iodide following the Chernobyl
accident hat the incidence was less than one in 10 million in children
and 1 in 1 million in adults.
-
- In 1978, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found
KI safe and effective for use in radiological emergencies and approved
its over-the-counter sale1. More recently (November, 2001), the FDA maintains
that KI is a safe and effective means by which to prevent radioiodine uptake
by the thyroid gland, under certain specified conditions of use, and thereby
obviate the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of a radiation emergency.2
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- Consider the lawsuits resulting from a terrorist incident
involving nuclear materials or facilities and hundreds of thousands are
exposed to radioactive iodine.
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- A growing call for action
- With a direct conflict existing between hard facts and
existing county, state and federal emergency response plans; one needs
to ask what the real reason was for lack of appropriate policies. Some
indicate that widespread distribution of potassium iodide would be interpreted
as an admission that nuclear reactors are unsafe.
-
- Nonetheless, events of 9/11, threats of dirty nukes,
the admitted vulnerability of nuclear facilities and the looming threat
of nuclear war between India and Pakistan have resulted in a growing call
for action. The issue is becoming increasingly popular in Congress, which
is in turn driving increased interest on the part of emergency response
organizations. Many in the general public are also seeking out the pills
for themselves, instead of depending on the government to supply them in
an emergency.
- While the individual states now carry on the debate,
the general public should wonder why literally every other developed country
already has the pills stockpiled to protect their public from radiation
emergencies, and only a few states here is the US have some very limited
KI stockpiles on hand. As it stands, most of the nation is unprotected.
-
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- To find out more about potassium iodide or to make a
purchase for your family click HERE
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- 1 Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) COMSECY-98-016
- FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE ON POTASSIUM IODIDE
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- 2 Guidance: Potassium Iodide as a Thyroid Blocking Agent
in Radiation Emergencies, HHS Food and Drug Administration, November 2001
- http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/4825fnl.htm
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- 3 Guidelines for Iodine Prophylaxis following Nuclear
Accidents
- http://www.who.int/environmental (PDF
FILE)
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