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EU seeks to boost stockpile of iodine pills and nuclear protective gear

EU seeks to boost stockpile of iodine pills and nuclear protective gear The war in Ukraine has prompted Brussels to speed up plans to improve bloc’s response in case of a nuclear incident  Ft.com Andy Bounds in Brussels

Brussels has accelerated plans designed to improve the EU’s health response in case of a nuclear incident following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, according to EU officials. The European commission is seeking to encourage EU members to stockpile iodine pills, protective suits and other medicine………..

 Earlier this month pharmacies in countries including Belgium, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic ran out of iodine pills after Russian forces targeted and damaged a Ukrainian atomic power station. The attack prompted warnings about the risks if a radioactive leak spreads across the continent. Such leaks release radioactive iodine, which concentrates in the thyroid gland when it is inhaled and can lead to cancer. Potassium iodine tablets saturate the gland with iodine, preventing the absorption of the radioactive material.  

…………..   European parliamentarians say HERA needs to move faster to keep pace with developments in Ukraine. Véronique Trillet-Lenoir, an MEP for French president Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche party, said: “We need to draw strong lessons from Covid. We require specific measures for nuclear sites. We are not ready. We do not have the stocks.”  ……………  https://www.ft.com/content/bb5e6fde-7b08-41d9-a983-61be53cf2917

March 21, 2022 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | EUROPE, health