AW: Re: AAP Statement on Radiation Disasters and Children

["Franz Schoenhofer" <franz.schoenhofer@CHELLO.AT>]

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----

Von: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

[mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]Im Auftrag von Patricia

Milligan

Gesendet: Donnerstag, 10. April 2003 20:07

An: webmaster@ki4u.com; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu

Betreff: FW: Re: AAP Statement on Radiation Disasters and Children





While tincture of iodine is certainly not the recommended first line drug of

choice for thyroid prophylaxis, approximately 1.1 million doses of tincture

of iodine solution were used in Poland by panicked residents after the

Chornobyl accident. ( Nauman and Wolff, Iodide Prophylaxis in Poland after

the Chernobyl Reactor Accident: Benefits and Risks, National Institutes of

Health, 1992) There were no fatalities, but many upset stomachs.

--------------------------------------------



I can only answer from memory: In some areas of Poland the use of Lugol, a

KI solution was recommended for intake in the first days after the Chernobyl

accident. To my knowledge nobody was encouraged or did take a tincture of

iodine solution. At least no recommendation was issued. Radiation protection

specialists have afterwards (which is of course easy to do after the common

confusion had declined) claimed, that the administration of KI was not

necessary - yes, and taking the contamination into account, it was not. In

my country, Austria, the contamination by I-131 from the Chernobyl accident

was not regarded as necessitating Potassium Iodine use, especially taking

into account the negative (up to fatal) effects on a small part of the

population. We have discouraged the use of KI and I am still convinced, that

this was the right decision.

----------------------------



Dr. Wolff, in another article, also notes : "Finally, in Japan and the US,

where the dietary intake of iodine is relatively high,



----------------------------

I do not know, who Dr. Wolff is, but the dietary intake of iodine in Japan

because of the high consumption of sea weed, is sure not enough to block the

thyroid. I do not understand, by what means the US population would have a

high intake of iodine, in any case not by McDonalds hamburgers.

---------------------------------------------





the resulting less active thyroid glands will enjoy some additional fallout

protection.  A number of European countries may wish to avail themselves of

this 2-3 fold advantage by salt iodinization, which also has numerous other

benefits."

-------------------------------------------



Again such a ridiculous comment by an US person on the European situation,

which was given without knowing anything about the facts: Almost all salt in

Europe is not only iodinized but also fluordized. We do not need the advice

of a Dr. Wolff of NIH who obviously lacks any information about facts. The

fluorizidation might hopefully be clear for its benefits. The Iodinization

should be even more clear - it is to prevent formation of goitre. The iodine

content of our table salt will not be enough to block I-131 in the case of a

very severe nuclear accident. So: Thank you for your advice Mr. Wolff, but

it would be better to keep it for yourself!



Best regards,



Franz











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