Nuclear Scare In Japan Leads To Run On Potassium Iodide
DETROIT (WWJ) - As the threat continues to grow in Japan over nuclear radiation, one pharmacy in Royal Oak says callers have already been asking whether any potassium iodide is available.
WWJ's Kathryn Larson has more from owner of ZMC Pharmacy, Dr. Jalal Zawaideh, who says about half a dozen people are requesting the capsule or solution form of the radiation protecting pill.
He worries about those taking it and says he doesn't know what amount would make for a proper dosage to combat nuclear radiation and too much could be dangerous or lethal.
"It's pretty toxic, I mean, a high concentration of potassium, which is an essential electrolight, it's important to how our heart beats, and all of a sudden we start throwing off our potassium concentration, the dosage is just...a big question to me," says Zawaideh.
"Even the solution we do stock, it's been in pretty limited supplies now, I just checked the availability from our wholesaler and there is none in stock and I'm assuming that people are gravitating toward the solution as well," Zawaideh says.
Dr. Zawaideh says he's worried about consumers going online to buy the potassium iodide. He says he can't even get the solution form from his wholesaler and wonders if what's being sold over the internet is the real stuff.
