Since the outbreak of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, many Europeans, worried about the nuclear risk, rush to iodine tablets.
Thus, while before February 24, sales were close to zero in Belgium, on Thursday morning alone, pharmacies in the country sold more than 56,000 boxes of ten iodine tablets, according to the Belgian Pharmaceutical Association ( APB).
Same scenario in Croatia, where residents are flocking to pharmacies since Russian President Vladimir Putin stepped up the alert of his nuclear forces.
No need to take it preventively
Iodine pellets are indeed intended to prevent thyroid cancer in the event of radioactive emissions.
However, it is useless to take it preventively: iodine is only effective for 24 hours.
In addition, the uncontrolled intake of iodine tablets can "cause serious side effects", recalled the Council of the Croatian Medical Association in a press release.
He adds that swallowing food supplements including small amounts of iodine available over the counter in pharmacies is “completely useless and makes no sense”.
In France, the distribution of iodine tablets is regulated: it is only possible to obtain them in certain pharmacies, and they are only issued if you live less than twenty kilometers from a nuclear power plant.
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Health
War in Ukraine
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Nuclear
Russia
Nuclear catastrophe
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