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GS-III : S&T Health

02 September, 2022
8 Min Read

Anti-Radiation Pills

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Health

Anti-Radiation Pills

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Recently, as worries of a nuclear accident at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia power plant increased, the European Union made the preemptive decision to deliver 5.5 million anti-radiation pills to be given to locals.

Radiation Emergency

Radio-nuclear hazards: These are unintentional or unintended incidents that endanger both people and the environment.
Such circumstances involve exposure to radiation from a radioactive source and the need for quick action to lessen the danger.
Anti-radiation pills are also needed to handle such a situation.

Anti-radiation pills

In cases of radiation exposure, potassium iodide (KI) tablets or anti-radiation pills are known to offer some protection.

They include non-radioactive iodine, which can aid in preventing the thyroid gland's absorption and subsequent buildup of radioactive iodine.

How do these Pills Work?

Radioactive iodine spreads through the air after a radiation spill, contaminating food, water, and soil.
Internal irradiation, also known as internal exposure, is when radioactive iodine penetrates the body and builds up in the thyroid gland.
The thyroid gland cannot distinguish between radioactive and non-radioactive iodine while producing the hormones that control the body's metabolism.
This is how potassium iodide (KI) pills achieve "thyroid blocking."
KI pills ensure that non-radioactive iodine in the medication is quickly absorbed to make the thyroid "full" when taken a short time before or right after radiation exposure.
When the thyroid is full, it can no longer take in iodine, either stable or radioactive, for the following 24 hours.
However, KI medications are solely preventative and cannot reverse radiation-induced thyroid damage.
Thyroid cancer is highly likely to occur once radioactive iodine has been absorbed by the thyroid gland.

Is the method Fool-Proof?

Anti-radiation medications don't always offer complete security.
The amount of radioactive iodine that enters the body and how rapidly it is absorbed determine how effective KI is.
The pills are not suitable for everyone, as well. Those under the age of 40, are advised.

Risk involved

Thyroid cancer: However, KI tablets are solely preventative and cannot undo radiation-induced thyroid damage.
Thyroid cancer is highly likely to occur once radioactive iodine has been absorbed by the thyroid gland.

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