Finnish pharmacies sold out their stocks of iodine tablets hours after the government asked people to buy them this morning to prevent the risk of radiation.
The Finnish Pharmacists’ Association today confirmed in a statement that potassium iodine tablets are “temporarily out of stock” in all pharmacies in the country, but will be available “soon”.
The association added that, despite the proposal of the authorities, “there is no urgent need” to purchase iodine tablets.
The purchase of this product, which requires a prescription, was so large that the online sale of the country’s largest pharmacy chain, Yliopiston Apteekki, temporarily collapsed.
This morning, the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health offered the population under the age of 40 to buy potassium iodine tablets as a measure to prevent the risk of radiation.
In a statement today, the ministry clarified that there are currently no iodine tablets for sale in Finland for children under three years of age, so health centers must import and distribute them to parents and pregnant women.
Potassium iodide prevents the absorption of radioactive iodine through the thyroid gland, which can cause cancer or damage to this gland when exposed to nuclear radiation.
The World Health Organization recommends the use of these pills in the event of a nuclear attack for people under 40 and pregnant women, in this case to protect the fetus.
The Finnish authorities reminded that the most effective way to reduce exposure is to seek shelter indoors, and iodine intake is an “additional protective measure”.
He also asked citizens not to take pills on their own initiative and, if necessary, wait for an emergency warning to be issued by the civil protection authorities.
