28 Jan 2023 • Published by the WHO on the 27th of January, 2023 The World Health Organization (WHO) today updated its list of medicines that should be stockpiled for radiological and nuclear emergencies, along with policy advice for their appropriate management. These stockpiles include medicines that either prevent or reduce exposure to radiation, or treat injuries once exposure has occurred. This updated critical medicines list will be a vital preparedness and readiness tool to identify, procure, stockpile and deliver effective countermeasures in a timely fashion to those at risk or when exposed.
Potential exposure scenarios considered in the publication include radiological or nuclear emergencies at nuclear power plants, medical or research facilities, or accidents during transport of radioactive materials, as well as intentional uses of radioactive materials with malicious intent. A typical radiation emergency stockpile will include the following medicines:

• Stable iodine, administered to prevent or reduce the exposure of the thyroid to radioactive iodine;
• Chelating sand decorporating agents (Prussian blue, applied to remove radioactive caesium from the body and calcium-/zinc-DTPA used to treat internal contamination with transuranium radionuclides);
• Cytokines used for mitigation of damage to the bone marrow, in case of acute radiation syndrome (ARS); and
• Other medicines used to treat vomiting, diarrhoea and infections

Source: WHO| Read full story