since Monday, February 28, Belgian pharmacies have been flooded with requests for stable iodine, a sign that Vladimir Putin’s threats of a hypothetical nuclear attack are alarming. A phenomenon that is beginning to occur in pharmacies in France, where the use of this treatment is particularly regulated.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he had put his “nuclear deterrence force on alert” on Sunday (February 27th). Since then, several Belgian or French pharmacies have stormed to get stable iodine tablets to protect themselves from a possible nuclear attack. While in Belgium these iodine tablets are freely available to the public, the Belgian Federal Nuclear Regulatory Agency would like to recall that “the current situation in Ukraine does not require iodine intake”.
The current situation in # Ukraine does not require taking tablets# iodine. They remain free in pharmacies, but are not needed in this case. Take iodine only on the recommendation of the authorities. https://t.co/Ck4jxKxGy9
– AFCN – FANC (@FANC_AFCN) February 28, 2022
In France, the situation is different, even if there is a resurgence of applications in Landes, as France Bleu points out, access to its tablets is strictly regulated. La Dépêche answers 3 questions to some anxious French people.
What is stable iodine used for?
Stable iodine helps protect the thyroid gland from radioactive contamination. An accident at a nuclear power plant or a nuclear attack leads to the release of radioactive iodine into the atmosphere, which can cause cancer, especially of the thyroid gland. Therefore, taking the drug prevents the attachment of radioactive iodine to the thyroid gland.
This part of the body is essential for the human body, for example it plays a role in growth or intellectual development. The efficiency of stable iodine is optimal when taken within two hours before the start of the release of radioactive iodine; it is 50% if the catch is made 6 hours after the start of the discards.
How to get it in France?
In France, doses of stable iodine are produced by the Central Armed Forces pharmacy. Their free distribution by mail or in pharmacies is aimed only at populations at nuclear risk. Therefore, only people living within a radius of 20 kilometers around a nuclear power plant are concerned.
Some pharmacies have tablets available, so it is possible to buy them without a prescription. However, iodine stocks are subject to quotas and not all pharmacies have them at all times. The use of iodine is not recommended unless instructed to do so by the prefects. The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) recalls that “this is a medicine that must be taken sensibly and at the right time. Authorities are advising him in the event of a radioactive iodine release. “
Is it risky to take it now?
It is highly undesirable to take stable iodine tablets without prior notification from the competent authorities. According to the ASN, “there is currently no radioactive iodine in the atmosphere, so it is completely useless to take this type of drug.” According to the nuclear safety authority, “this can even be medically risky because it can block the thyroid gland; at best it is useless, at worst it can be dangerous.”
Like all medicines, taking stable iodine can have side effects. For example, it can cause nausea and vomiting, stomach pain or even palpitations. These side effects are often temporary and disappear once iodine is eliminated from the body. In some rare cases, this can have more serious consequences, such as the development of hyperthyroidism. Currently, the use of this treatment is completely discouraged by ASN, doctors and pharmacists.