(A drug for those exposed to massive doses of radiation)

Not sure what possessed me to watch this video, but as I was listening, I heard David Wilcox say something that really caught my attention.

This video was uploaded on Youtube February 3rd so I'm not sure when it was actually recorded. I do know it was recorded before the devastating earthquake in Japan on March 11th and before the Fukushima reactor meltdown happened.

Listen to what David Wilcox says ...1:48 into video ...

"A drug that aready exists and has existed for some time can inhibit the destruction of the cell wall when your exposed to high levels of radiation and basically keep you alive when your exposed to massive doses of radiation much more than anything like iodine or anything that is out there in the public. And I've heard this is one of the things that is going to be released fairly soon as a way to help things out as we go through this"

There's a drug for radiation exposure?

Below is an article from yesterday about taking potassium iodide/iodine.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

No need to take potassium iodide at this time

Tablets would protect thyroid gland from absorbing iodine contaminated by radiation

In Japan, health authorities have distributed almost a quarter-million units of potassium iodide tablets as a precautionary measure against radiation exposure from the severely damaged and leaking nuclear reactors at Fukushima Daiichi.

Many Californians are wondering whether they should be taking the tablets. Some probably are already doing so. A run on potassium iodide pills has rendered them scarce through the state and region.

Potassium iodide is a stable form of iodine – a naturally occurring trace element that is essential to human health. In the case of the leaking Japanese reactors, however, the iodine being released (a byproduct of nuclear fission) is radioactive. Sufficient exposure to it can result in thyroid cancer, which has proved to be the major negative health impact caused by the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster.

We asked Dr. Richard Clark, director in the Division of Medical Toxicology for the UC San Diego Health System, and medical director of the Poison Control Center in San Diego, to assess the situation and comment on what San Diegans should – or should not – do.

Q: Why is potassium iodide administered to people who have been exposed to – or may be exposed to – nuclear radiation?

A: When a nuclear accident or explosion occurs, particles are released into the air, some of which are radioactive. These particles can be inhaled, or get into the water or food of humans and animals, and in that way taken into our bodies. Some of these radioactive particles include radioactive iodine particles that can be taken up by our thyroid gland. Some people who get radioactive iodine taken up by their thyroid gland can develop cancer or other thyroid problems days or years down the road. By giving susceptible people potassium iodide, or KI, supplements, a person can “saturate” the thyroid gland with iodine and keep it from taking up the radioactive iodine particles that might be present in the body.

Q: Is it equally effective pre- and post-exposure?

A: The KI supplements are most effective if given pre-exposure, but only need to be taken a short time before the exposure. The most at-risk people would be those under 40, particularly children, and pregnant women. There is a possibility that those over 40 may not even require potassium iodide.

Q: What is standard treatment? Are there side effects? Who shouldn’t take the pills?

A: The standard treatment is different depending on the age of the person, but for adults over 18 or so it is 130 mg of KI a day until the contamination is gone. The side effects include potentially life-threatening allergic reactions and possible damage to the thyroid gland in some individuals from the supplements themselves. Anyone with allergies to iodine, seafood (many of which contain iodine, particularly shellfish), or iodine-containing medications should not take iodine supplements. Anyone with a known or suspected thyroid condition should check with a health care provider before taking iodine supplements.

Q: Does potassium iodide offer any protection against other radioactive elements besides iodine?

A: No, KI only protects the thyroid gland and only against the possible cancer-causing effects of the radioactive iodine. It will not protect a person from any other source of radiation or nuclear fallout.

Q: Are there precautions people can take against other forms of radiation and related cancers?

A: The only other way to protect oneself from radiation-related effects and cancers is avoidance. Not breathing in or consuming radioactive fallout, and not being exposed to direct radiation such as X-rays. Honestly, the most common exposure to radiation in most of our lives is X-rays from health care providers, the extent of which has in some cases been concerning for cancers.

Q: Should San Diegans be worried about radiation exposure from the Japanese reactors?

A: There should be no concern yet in San Diego about Japanese radiation exposure. Detectable levels of radioactive isotopes here should remain well within safe limits. If a large explosion creating a significant fallout cloud is generated, it would likely take several days to reach the United States – plenty of time to prepare by taking potassium iodide and to take any other measures needed to be safe. There is no need to buy or take iodine supplements at this time, and supplies should be released by government agencies to protect at-risk individuals if the need occurs.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/22/no-need-to-take-potassium-iodide-at-this-time/#