War in Ukraine: Demand for iodine tablets high – Ministry warns against taking them yourself
Created: 03/02/2022, 20:54
By: Patrick Huljina
Experts advise against taking iodine tablets independently.
(Iconic image) © Rainer Keuenhof/Imago
The demand for iodine tablets has increased since the outbreak of the Ukraine war.
However, experts warn of health risks.
Berlin - War in the middle of Europe: The escalation in the Ukraine conflict created a scenario that many people no longer wanted to imagine.
In the Ukraine war, Russian President Vladimir Putin even mentioned the use of nuclear weapons in response to Western sanctions.
The uncertainty is great.
The demand for iodine tablets is already increasing in some regions in Germany.
However, the Ministry of the Environment warns.
War in Ukraine: Demand for iodine tablets high – Ministry warns against taking them yourself
Against the background of the Russian war against Ukraine and a possible risk of attacks on nuclear power plants, the Federal Ministry for the Environment has warned against taking iodine tablets without cause.
"Due to the distance to Ukraine, it is not to be expected that taking iodine tablets could become necessary," wrote the ministry on Wednesday afternoon (March 2) at the request of the German Press Agency.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, had previously warned of the danger of a nuclear accident due to the ongoing fighting in the crisis area.
According to the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), iodine tablets protect against the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid gland in the event of a nuclear accident.
“We strongly advise against taking the tablets independently.
Self-medication poses significant health risks, but currently has no benefit," said the ministry, which is also responsible for nuclear safety in Germany.
The day before, the German Association of Pharmacists had also “urgently” advised against taking iodine independently.
War in Ukraine: No "reliable evidence" of increased release of radioactive substances
The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) announced on Wednesday afternoon on its website that it currently had "no reliable evidence" that "according to which radioactive substances have escaped to an increased extent during the fighting in Ukraine".
However, the BfS is following the situation closely.
This also includes the situation around the Ukrainian nuclear power plant at Zaporizhia, after Russian troops took control of the area around the power plant, according to the IAEA.
In addition, the BfS states: "Due to the situation, little information is available and this is difficult to verify.
Based on the information available, there is no risk of radiological effects in Germany.” The Federal Environment Ministry recommends finding out about the developments on
the BfS website and also on the website
jodblockade.de .
Both websites would be updated with relevant developments, it said.
What if Germany was attacked by a foreign power like Ukraine was attacked by Russia?
According to experts, civil protection is hardly available.
(ph with dpa)