IOSAT Potassium Iodine / Iodide, What Government Uses for Radiation?

 What kind of Potassium Iodine Does the Government Use To distribute to Soldiers and Citizens?

The Tsunami disaster occurring in Japan has many people all over the world concerned about what the long term effects will be. Nobody really knows how significant and how widespread Radiation exposure will be. As far as how much radiation sickness, contamination, and radioactive illnesses will occur, seems to be beyond anyone's knowledge of well. 


What kind of potassium iodine / iodide does the United States Government Use for radiation protection? 


Answer : IOSAT Potassium Iodide


In 1982, the FDA approved IOSAT potassium iodide (iodine) tablets for protecting and blocking the thyroid gland's absorbtion of radioactive iodine which causes cancer. 

Only the thyroid absorbs iodine so, if you can block radioactive iodine from being absorbed it will pass through your body without harm to your thyroid gland. When you saturate your thyroid gland with potassium iodide's stable (SAFE) iodine, radioactive iodine can't be absorbed. Radioactive iodine is the predominate radioisotope relased during a nuclear reactors meltdown, or fallout from a nuclear bomb.


IOSAT is much more expensive than other Potassium Iodide alternatives. I have no idea if IOSAT is any more effective or if they all work equally as well. The government uses IOSAT, but there are many alternative Potassium Iodide tablets, and Iodine liquid drops that may offer the same protection.