Finns hoard iodine pills - The Nordic Reporter

Inhabitants of Finland have been hoarding for iodine pills after the explosions at the nuclear power plants in Japan. Finnish and Swedish media reported this on Monday.

Many Finnish pharmacies had already run out of stocks on Friday. However, the Finnish radiation safety service Stuk warned on Monday about the side effects of taking iodine pills. This can lead to stomach and skin problems. “Taking the iodine pills is unnecessary and can be harmful,” said a spokesman on Monday. Iodine protects the body against, among other things, cancer formation in the thyroid gland due to radioactive radiation.

According to Finnish doctors, the pills should be taken in case of severe exposure. According to Swedish experts, any radioactive particles from the leaks in the Japanese reactors will reach Scandinavia in 10 to 14 days. But the radioactivity, which comes to Earth with precipitation, for example, will have such low values that there will be no consequences for humans, according to the experts.

Last April, the Finnish government decided to build two new nuclear reactors. The country already has four nuclear power plants. | © 2011 Marcel Burger for ANP News Agency (original in Dutch published 14 March 2011)

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