[ RadSafe ] HHS purchase of 14 million KI tablets

[Milligan, Patricia]

There has been a lot of discussion in the "blog" world and beyond of the recent proposal by HHS to acquire 14 million potassium iodide tablets in 2014.  This has been linked by many to the steam appearing at Fukushima and the seismic events that recently occurred in that region.  The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has a long standing "KI" program where KI tablets are distributed to requesting states.  All tablets come with a finite shelf-life and as such the stockpiles must be replenished periodically.  In the past, the NRC has managed its own procurement and has purchased close to 28 to 30 million tablets to date.   For the tablets "expiring" in 2014, the NRC has contracted with HHS  procurement office to purchase and ship the required KI tablets (14 million in 2014)  to the various States with expired/expiring stockpiles.  The HHS procurement is simply the normal and routine  replenishment process for NRC supplied KI state stockpiles.  

 For example:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/is-the-government-stockpiling-iodine-in-preparation-for-fukushima-meltdown/5363602
http://www.globalresearch.ca/government-official-hangs-up-when-asked-about-iodide-purchase/5363630
https://www.google.com/#q=hhs+ki+14+million

Thank you,

Trish

Patricia A. Milligan, CHP, RPh
Senior Level Advisor for Preparedness and Response
Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission 
Three White Flint North
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