News: India delivered Prussian Blue capsules to Indonesia after authorities detected Cesium-137 contamination in exports and facilities, following a request from Indonesia’s Health Ministry.
About Prussian Blue Capsules
- Prussian (or potassium ferric hexacyanoferrate) blue is a pill that may be used in a radiation emergency to help remove radioactive cesium (Cs) and thallium (Tl) from inside a person’s body.
- Prussian blue traps radioactive cesium and thallium in the intestines and keeps them from being reabsorbed by the body.
- The radioactive materials then move through the intestines and are passed (excreted) in bowel movements.
- Because Prussian blue reduces the time that radioactive cesium and thallium stay in the body, it helps limit the amount of time the body is exposed to radiation.
- It is one of the critical medicines listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for radiological and nuclear emergencies.
- In India, this drug has been developed by the industry based on the technology of Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences (INMAS), Delhi, a laboratory of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
About Cesium-137
- Cesium-137 is a radioactive isotope produced during nuclear reactions and used in industrial, medical, and research applications.
- The long-term exposure to Cesium-137, even at low levels, can increase the risk of cancer.
