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Re: Societies issue primer on radiological terrorism threats: Kearny practicalities
Thanks Dr Becker, an excellent, accurate, and brief summary.
KI can be beneficial up to several hours post exposure, but KI is also a
very controversial and sometimes emotional issue.
It is perceived by some as an entitlement, some as an impractical placebo
countermeasure which has questionable efficacy, and by many as a simple and
potential countermeasure which may be very effective.
Again, I highly endorse Dr Becker's brief statement. I am very happy to see
the NAS report is now finished and available.
Orhan H. Suleiman MS, PhD, FAAPM
Senior Science Policy Advisor
Center for Drug Evaluation and
Research
Office of New Drugs
Office of Drug Evaluation III
Tel: 301 827-1505
Fax: 301 480-6036
-----Original Message-----
From: David V. Becker <dvb2001@MED.CORNELL.EDU>
To: John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>
CC: Jane Orient <jorient@MINDSPRING.COM>; 'Howard Long'
<hflong@pacbell.net>; 'radsafe' <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>; David V.
Becker <dvb2001@MED.CORNELL.EDU>; Al-Nabulsi, Isaf <ialnabul@nas.edu>
Sent: Thu Mar 25 19:12:02 2004
Subject: Re: Societies issue primer on radiological terrorism threats:
Kearny practicalities
I would like to point out that the issue of KI availability and use is
fairly complicated, has occupied the attention of thyroidologists for some
time and has generated a large endocrinological and public health
literature. The American Thyroid Association organized and presented a
full day symposium on February 28,2003 in Washington DC "Public Health
Strategies for Protecting the Thyroid with Potassium Iodide in the Event of
a Nuclear Incident."
The National Research Council of the National Academies convened a select
committee to "Assess the Distribution and Administsration of Potassium
Iodide in the event of a Nuclear Incident" and published an authoritative
monograph with that title by the National Academies Press early in 2004 and
on their website http://www.nap.edu. In addition,the FDA, NRC, NCRP, WHO
and NRPB present detailed and extensive information on the web.
David V. Becker,MD
New York Hospital -Weill Cornell Medical College
John Jacobus wrote:
I agree, and I was obviously not too clear. (As I
reread it, I must have lost my train of thought)
My point is that fallout from a nuclear weapon would
contain a significant number of radionuclides that
would give a higher dose than the iodines. However,
the population would probably have enough time to take
shelter and sequester dairy products. Of course, you
would take the same precautions following a reactor
accident, as Chernobyl, a reactor accident,
demonstrated the risk from iodine uptake.
I am not a proponent of handing out KI automatically
in either case.
--- Jane Orient <jorient@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Thyroid blockage is needed whenever ingestion of
> radioactive iodine is a
> possibility. That is definitely a component of
> fallout from a nuclear
> weapon. Yes, it could happen in a reactor accident
> (extremely unlikely), but
> it's okay to talk about that one.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Jacobus [ mailto:crispy_bird@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2004 1:17 PM
> To: Howard Long; John Jacobus; radsafe
> Cc: Jane Orient
> Subject: Re: Societies issue primer on radiological
> terrorism threats:Kearny
> practicalities
>
> My understanding is the thyroid blockage is an issue
> for reactor accident release, not a nuclear attack.
> Chernobyle, again, clearly demonstrated the risks
> associated with iodine releases from a reactor.
>
> --- Howard Long <hflong@pacbell.net> wrote:
> > Radsafers and DDP,
> > My quick review of I 131 response in the Primer
> > below, so helpfully
> > referenced by John J, then comparing it with
> > Kearny's in his Nuclear War
> > Survival Skills
> > (from www.oism.org) suggests that KI ss 4 drops/d
> or
> > one 130 mgm tab/d to
> > all who may be exposed when there is a nuclear
> > attack, is needed while you
> > health physicists are determining the pCuries/m3
> in
> > the air.
> >
> > Howard Long
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "John Jacobus" <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>
> > To: "radsafe" <radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu>
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2004 1:38 PM
> > Subject: Societies issue primer on radiological
> > terrorism threats
> >
> >
> > I received this through another list server and
> > thought I would pass it along. The article is at
> >
>
http://www.auntminnie.com/default.asp?Sec=nws&Sub=thd&pag=dis&ItemId=61212
> >
> > The primer can be found at
> >
>
http://www.acr.org/dyna/?doc=departments/educ/disaster_prep/dp_primer.html
> >
> > -----------------
> > Societies issue primer on radiological terrorism
> > threats
> > 3/23/04
> >
> > The American College of Radiology (ACR) has teamed
> > up
> > with the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology
> > and
> > Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Association of
> > Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) to release a primer
> on
> > how to prepare for a radiological terrorist
> attack.
> >
> > Entitled "Disaster Preparedness for Radiology
> > Professionals: Response to Radiological
> Terrorism,"
> > the primer is aimed at helping medical
> professionals
> > and emergency personnel better manage an emergency
> > situation resulting from a radiological disaster
> or
> > terrorist attack. It serves as a quick reference
> in
> > the event of a radiological event and offers
> > guidance
> > on proper preparation, as well as directives on
> > handling contaminated people and the consequences
> of
> > radiation exposure, according to the Reston,
> > VA-based
> > ACR.
> >
> > The primer also includes information on
> radiological
> > findings related to agents that could be used in a
> > biological or chemical attack. To download, visit
> > the
> > ACR's Web site.
> >
> > By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
> > March 23, 2004
> >
> >
> > =====
> > +++++++++++++++++++
> > ""A fanatic is one who cannot change his mind and
> > won't change the subject."
> > Winston Churchill
> >
> > -- John
> > John Jacobus, MS
> > Certified Health Physicist
> > e-mail: crispy_bird@yahoo.com
> >
> > __________________________________
> > Do you Yahoo!?
> > Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on
> > time.
> > http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
> >
>
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> >
>
>
> =====
> +++++++++++++++++++
> ""A fanatic is one who cannot change his mind and
> won't change the subject."
> Winston Churchill
>
> -- John
> John Jacobus, MS
> Certified Health Physicist
> e-mail: crispy_bird@yahoo.com
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on
> time.
> http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html
>
>
=====
+++++++++++++++++++
""A fanatic is one who cannot change his mind and won't change the subject."
Winston Churchill
-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail: crispy_bird@yahoo.com
__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
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