Japan Radiation Threat Information

With so much unnecessary hysteria over the threat of radiation exposure in the U.S. from the Japanese nuclear situation and the rush to buy potassium iodide pills, I thought I'd post some information and links so you can get accurate and up-to-date information.

Here is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has to say:

"At this time, CDC does not recommend that people in the United States take Potassium Iodide (KI) or iodine supplements in response to the nuclear power plant explosions in Japan.

"The use of non-FDA approved iodine supplements cannot be guaranteed for safety or efficacy. These products do not have an FDA-approved dosing schedule. The supplements are not necessarily manufactured using FDA-approved quality control methods. Saturated Solution of Potassium Iodide (SSKI or Lugol’s Solution) is not an FDA-approved drug.

"Scientists are tracking the location of radioactive iodine released from the power plant in Japan. No radioactive iodine has been detected in the U.S. The EPA monitors for radioactivity through a national network of monitoring stations called RADNET."

You can get more information about this from the CDC's web site Radiation Emergencies

Here are more links for other information about the Japan situation and radiation emergencies in general:

Japan Nuclear Emergency: Frequently Asked Questions (Environmental Protection Agency)

FAQs: Japan Nuclear Concerns (World Health Organization)

Radiation Emergencies: Emergency Preparedness and Response (Environmental Protection Agency)