The Ministry of Health started distributing potassium iodide pills to community pharmacies in June 2022, for preventive purposes, according to News.ro.
The Ministry of Health has started distributing potassium iodide pills/PHOTO: Archive
“At the level of the Ministry of Health, no procurement procedures were carried out for potassium iodide, they were carried out by the National Administration of State Reserves and Special Issues on the basis of a Government Decision approved in the section of normative acts of a secret nature, and the initial number of tablets purchased by this institution is 30 million tablets.
On 11.09.2024, there were 27,936,239 potassium iodide 65 mg tablets in the stock of the Public Health Directorates and the community pharmacies registered in the program, kept in the community pharmacies”states the Ministry of Health.
Romania also donated 1 million tablets to the Republic of Moldova.
By September 11, 2024, 914,899 tablets of potassium iodide 65 mg have been distributed to the population, according to the institution. Pharmacies must send a report on the number of people to whom they have distributed the tablets to the Directorate of Public Health in their area.
Potassium iodide 65 mg is taken only in case of nuclear incidents or on the recommendation of the authorities. Basically, by taking the pill, the thyroid gland already accumulates enough iodine and no longer absorbs the radioactive one.
According to authorities, in the event of a nuclear incident, potassium iodide should be administered as soon as possible.
Adults and children over 12 years of age are recommended to take 2 tablets (equivalent to 100 mg of iodine). For children aged 3-12 years, 1 tablet (equivalent to 50 mg of iodine). For children aged between 1 month and 3 years, half a tablet (equivalent to 25 mg of iodine), and for newborns, aged up to 1 month, a quarter of a tablet (equivalent to 12.5 mg of iodine).
More information can be found in the guide published by the Ministry of Health.
