Potassium Iodide was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration as an immediate solution for the protection of thyroid glands in case of a possible nuclear radiation. The danger of radioactive meltdown in Japan have caused people from different parts of the world to panicked and wanted to have potassium iodide with them in case of emergency.
Potassium Iodide will fill the thyroid glands with stable iodine to prevent the radioactive substance absorb by the body through breathing, eating and drinking. It will just protect the thyroid glands and prevent thyroid cancer but it will never be a long term solution against nuclear radiation.
Fleming Pharmaceuticals one of the leading supplier of anti-radiation medicine have worried about their inadequate supplies of potassium iodide with the soaring number of demands from Japan, China, Korea and other neighboring countries who fears for a possible nuclear radiation from Fukushima nuclear power plant.
ThyroShield an FDA approved potassium iodide was manufactured exclusively by Fleming Pharmaceuticals. It is a syrupy liquid that can be easily administered to children. Thyroshield is for people at risk of exposure to radioactive iodine.
Fleming President Phill Dritsas was quoted as saying that “Our website crashed on Wednesday because we had so many hits on this from around the world,” referring to the soaring orders of Thyroshield, a potassium iodide use to combat radiation.
According to Dritsas, Fleming Pharmaceuticalas are gearing up for more production but they cannot assured the adequacy of supplies of potassium iodide.
Meanwhile another company, the Anbex Inc. , which are selling potassium iodide in pill form but their supplies is inadequate to meet the growing number of orders.