Since the attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Ukraine, European and Portuguese pharmacies have seen a growing demand for iodine supplements to protect against possible exposure to radioactivity. The National Association of Pharmacies confirms the increase in demand since Friday and is finalizing guidelines to help pharmacists answer users' questions.
Doctors and pharmacists warn that the concern of the Portuguese is not justified - due to the distance the country is from Ukraine - explain that the iodine tablets available in pharmacies "are completely ineffective" to prevent risks of exposure to radioactivity and warn that their indiscriminate consumption has risks.
Félix Carvalho, president of the Northern section of the Ordem dos Farmacêuticos, confirms that several colleagues have reported an increase in demand for products based on potassium iodide. And he makes it clear: “It's nonsense. These drugs are completely ineffective because they do not have a sufficient dosage to prevent risks of exposure to radioactivity”, says JN. There is only one drug approved for use in case of radioactive iodine poisoning, but it is not for sale (see opposite).
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