Is there any effort to follow the law and begin distributing potassium iodide on a 20-mile radius?

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The government knew at least as early as the mid-1940s that potassium iodide was protective against I-131 absorption by the thyroid.

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Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, people who live near nuclear plants have been buying potassium iodide pills, which can help protect against cancer from radiation exposure.

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But the outfit was well-equipped with hand-held radiation detectors, full body suits with breathing hoods and ample supplies of potassium iodide, a preventive against radiation poisoning of the thyroid gland.

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The NRC staff initially selected three of these recommendations --enlarging emergency evacuation zones, expanding potassium iodide distribution, and accelerating the transfer of spent fuel from pools to dry casks -- for further evaluation.

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Because there are only a limited number of potassium iodide tablets in the world, people hoarding them in the U.S. are preventing them from getting those who really need them like the people in Japan.

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So far the only commercially available drugs that have a biological or chemical anti-terror purpose are over-the-counter potassium iodide pills sold as a long-term radiation treatment, and Bayer 's (nyse: BAY - news - people ) Cipro, an antibiotic that can be used to prevent anthrax toxicity.

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People living here in Palo Alto, Mountain View and the rest of Silicon Valley have been in a shopping frenzy, snapping up potassium iodide pills, dried foods, emergency kits and various other supplies out of concern that Northern California could receive a dose of radiation from the nuclear mess still unfolding in Japan.

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