BOISE -- Fearing increased radiation levels because of problems at the nuclear plants in Japan, pharmacists in Boise say some people are buying pills to take in case of a nuclear disaster.
Back in 1999 when people worried about Y2K and possible nuclear disasters, pharmacists say they got requests for pills containing potassium iodide. Now, with the situation in Japan, they're getting calls again, but say it's very unlikely anyone in Idaho will need the drug.
"Monday morning it started," Gary Wilburn, Lemp's Apothecary Owner, said.
At Lemp's Apothecary, pharmacy technicians are making potassium iodide capsules, which is something they don't normally get requests for. Since people began hearing about the problems at Japan's nuclear plants over the weekend, owner Gary Wilburn says they've had around 100 people call for potassium iodide.
"It's a form of iodine that's easily taken to flood your thyroid gland with nonradioactive iodine, and that will prevent it from taking up radioactive iodine, if there is any," Wilburn said.
Because they make the capsules at Lemp's, they require a prescription. At this point, they've filled around 20, which for adults costs about $50 for the four capsules recommended should someone need a dose.
At this point, Wilburn says it's not worth spending the money on buying capsules, and Idaho Department of Health and Welfare officials agree.
"The nuclear regulatory commission does not expect to see any harmful levels reach U.S. soils," Tom Shanahan, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said. "I think all states, and the federal government too, are going to monitor it to make sure. To date, there hasn't been any abnormal readings coming in."
Shanahan says taking potassium iodide is only recommended for people close to radioactive iodine and is most likely going to be unnecessary in the United States.
"It's not an anti-radiation pill," Shanahan said. "It would protect your thyroid from absorbing a certain, specific kind of radiation, and we don't think that that type of radiation will reach the atmosphere, so even if it did come over, it probably wouldn't help you any."
In fact because of side effects, he advises people could get sick from taking it unnecessarily.
"The concern from the public health side is that it would cause more damage or harm than good because there can be allergic reactions. It can cause nausea, abnormal heart rhythms. There's a lot of different things that can happen from side effects from taking it," Shanahan said.
At Lemp's Apothecary, pharmacists plan to fill prescriptions for patients who want the capsules, but advise for most people, it's something you don't need to have in the medicine cabinet.
"If you're thinking about getting potassium iodide, I would wait and see what happens. Chances are, you're not going to need it," Wilburn said.
The Department of Health and Welfare says the federal government stockpiles potassium chloride just in case of a nuclear disaster in the U.S. and would ship it out if necessary. Also, nuclear facilities, like the Idaho National Laboratory, are required to keep their own in stock to give anyone in the immediate area, should there be an accident.
