Re: KI EPA Recommendations?

["GARY MANSFIELD" <GARY.MANSFIELD@quickmail.llnl.gov>]

        Reply to:   RE>KI EPA Recommendations?

Greetings, and an open question to George Brozowski of the EPA:

George - My copy of the EPA's "Manual of Protective Action Guides and
Protective Actions for Nuclear Accidents" (EPA 400-R-92-001, May 1992) states:

"The use of stable iodine to protect against uptake of inhaled radioiodine by
the thyroid is recognized as an EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE [my emphasis] to
evacuation for situations involving radioiodine releases when evacuation
cannot be implemented or exposure occurs during evacuation."

The EPA Manual goes on to state:

". . . If the administration of stable iodine is included in an emergency
response plan, its use may be considered for exposure situations in which the
committed dose equivalent to the thyroid can be 25 rem or greater (see 47 FR
28158; June 29, 1982)."   [A copy of which Donald Thompson of FDA kindly just
FAXED to me.]

So - your first sentence - that KI is used solely for Emergency Workers - is a
little confusing to me.  Has the EPA changed it's mind about KI?  Is there
more recent guidance than the May 1992 PAG Manual I referenced above?

Thanks

Gary Mansfield
LLNL
mansfield2@llnl.gov
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