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Article: What patients need to know about KI. (Radioactive Iodine Exposure).
- Article from:
- OB GYN News
- Article date:
- April 15, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 International Medical News Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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WASHINGTON -- Community outreach has helped some public health departments distribute potassium iodide to protect local residents against exposure to radioactive iodine, experts said at a symposium sponsored by the American Thyroid Association.
Potassium iodide (KI) is not a substitute for knowledge about what to do in the event of a nuclear incident, stressed Dr. Jan Carney, Vermont commissioner of health. However, KI has been shown to be a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of thyroid cancer due to radioactive iodine.
In January 2002, Dr. Carney requested enough doses of KI to allow for two tablets per person within a 10-mile Emergency Planning ...