A run on potassium iodide pills, and more

West Coast residents fearing radiation from Japan’s damaged nuclear reactors bought up all available supplies of potassium iodide pills.

A run on potassium iodide pills

West Coast residents fearing radiation from Japan’s damaged nuclear reactors bought up all available supplies of potassium iodide pills. The pills—which officials say are utterly unnecessary for Americans 5,000 miles from the nuclear accident—protect against the absorption of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland. “Those who don’t get it are crying,” said the owner of one company, which sold 10,000 boxes of pills in a single day.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More