{"id":183,"date":"2016-02-23T18:08:58","date_gmt":"2016-02-23T18:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/radiological-health\/?page_id=183"},"modified":"2026-05-19T17:53:32","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T17:53:32","slug":"potassium-iodide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/radiological-health\/radiological-health\/emergency-response\/potassium-iodide\/","title":{"rendered":"Potassium Iodide"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"Content_Secondary\">\n<p>Potassium Iodide (KI) is a protective, over-the counter supplement which helps to protect the thyroid gland against internal uptake of radioiodines that may be released in the unlikely event of a nuclear reactor accident.\u00a0 Detailed information about KI is available by clicking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/Potassium-Iodide-KI-Fact-Sheet-English-version.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Potassium Iodide (KI) Fact Sheet<\/a>.\u00a0 This same form is available in Spanish by clicking <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/07\/Potassium-Iodide-KI-Fact-Sheet_Spanish.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Potassium Iodide (KI) Fact Sheet Spanish<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Not all nuclear power plant accident scenarios may result in a release of radioiodine requiring the distribution and use of KI. Nuclear power plants are designed to remove certain radioactive materials during an accident using filters and sprays. However, in ceratin types of accidents this may not always be possible.<\/p>\n<p>The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) provided KI to states for use in the 10 mile plume phase emergency planning zone (EPZ) of commercial nuclear power stations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>VDH will recommend distribution and use of KI for members of the public at the Evacuation Assembly Centers (EAC) when the projected radiation dose to the thyroid gland exceeds 5 rem.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>KI that will be made available to emergency workers and the public is shown below, followed by lot numbers and expiration dates:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1309\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/KI-006-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/KI-006-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/KI-006-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/KI-006-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/KI-006.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>\u00a0<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-1310\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/ThyroSafe-Box-65-mg-Blister-Pack-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/ThyroSafe-Box-65-mg-Blister-Pack-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vdh.virginia.gov\/content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2016\/02\/ThyroSafe-Box-65-mg-Blister-Pack.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Lot Number<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 TU905A<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Expiration Date<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0 10\/31\/2029<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Disposal<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Proper disposal of Potassium Iodide (KI) is in regular household, dumpster, or landfill garbage.\u00a0 <strong>DO NOT FLUSH<\/strong> the tablets or otherwise put them into the water supply.<\/p>\n<h3><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Other Information about KI<\/span><\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission&#8217;s web page on KI:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrc.gov\/about-nrc\/emerg-preparedness\/about-emerg-preparedness\/potassium-iodide-use.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.nrc.gov\/about-nrc\/emerg-preparedness\/about-emerg-preparedness\/potassium-iodide-use.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">U.S. Food and Drug Administration&#8217;s (FDA) web site on radiation emergencies:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fda.gov\/Drugs\/EmergencyPreparedness\/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness\/ucm063807.htm\">http:\/\/www.fda.gov\/Drugs\/EmergencyPreparedness\/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness\/ucm063807.htm<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">FDA Guidance: Potassium Iodide as a Thyroid Blocking Agent in Radiation Emergencies:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.fda.gov\/downloads\/Drugs\/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation\/Guidances\/ucm080542.pdf\">www.fda.gov\/downloads\/Drugs\/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation\/Guidances\/ucm080542.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 60px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/radiation-emergencies\/treatment\/potassium-iodide.html\">http:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/radiation-emergencies\/treatment\/potassium-iodide.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Office of Radiological Health | 109 Governor Street | Richmond, VA\u00a0 23219<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Telephone (804) 864-8150<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Potassium Iodide (KI) is a protective, over-the counter supplement which helps to protect the thyroid gland against internal uptake of radioiodines that may be released in the unlikely event of a nuclear reactor accident.\u00a0 Detailed information about KI is available by clicking Potassium Iodide (KI) Fact Sheet.\u00a0 This same form is available in Spanish by [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":681,"featured_media":0,"parent":18,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - 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