Iodine tablets in Turkey: what the rules say

Short answer. Turkey's 2023 Regulation on the Management of Radiation Emergencies lists iodine tablet use among protective actions and requires licensed operators to supply iodine tablets, if necessary, to people on site and to emergency workers ¹. No thyroid-blocking potassium iodide tablet is licensed in Turkey: the only potassium iodide tablets on the official list are 100 and 200 microgram iodine-deficiency doses ². No public pre-distribution, zone distances or public instructions were found.

What does Turkish regulation say about iodine?

The regulation, published by the Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK) in the Official Gazette on 16 June 2023 (no. 32223), defines protective actions as including entry and exit control, evacuation, sheltering and iodine tablet use: "Koruyucu eylemler: Radyasyon acil durumunda uygulanan giriş-çıkış kontrolü, tahliye, sığınma, iyot tableti kullanımı, ..." ¹.

Licensed operators must supply personal protective equipment and, if necessary, iodine tablets to people on their site and to emergency workers who have to enter it ¹.

What about people living near Akkuyu?

The regulation says that emergency planning zones and distances are set, facility by facility, in the National Radiation Emergency Plan (URAP) ¹. We did not find URAP published online, so we cannot state any distances or say who would receive tablets off site.

Can I buy potassium iodide in Turkey?

Not as a thyroid-blocking tablet. The list of licensed human medicines published by the Turkish Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (TİTCK) on 16 October 2026 contains no product under the ATC code for thyroid-blocking potassium iodide (V03AB21), and no 65 mg or 130 mg tablet ². Potassium iodide appears only in:

These are not protective doses. In the e-prescription product list of 20 October 2026, both Jodid tablets are shown as "Pasif" (inactive) ³. The official lists do not say whether the state holds its own stocks.

What should I do in the meantime?

• Do not take iodine supplements or antiseptic iodine as protection: they are not thyroid-blocking doses.
• Follow the instructions of the authorities; the regulation treats iodine tablet use as a protective action decided during a radiation emergency ¹.
• Watch for official instructions through the siren signals and broadcasts described on our Turkey alerts page. For a radiological danger, AFAD's Black alarm instruction is to go to shelter.
• For background, read our guides on potassium iodide and nuclear plant emergency zones. They are general guidance, not Turkish rules.

Frequently asked questions

Does Turkey distribute iodine tablets to households?

No official public pre-distribution was found. The regulation covers supply to people on licensed sites and emergency workers ¹.

Is potassium iodide 65 mg sold in Turkish pharmacies?

No 65 mg or 130 mg potassium iodide tablet is on TİTCK's list of licensed medicines ².

Who decides on iodine outside a nuclear site?

Not confirmed. Planning zones are set in URAP ¹, which we did not find published.

How far from Akkuyu are the planning zones?

We could not confirm it: the zones are set in URAP ¹, which we did not find published online.

Sources

1. Nükleer Düzenleme Kurumu (NDK) — Radyasyon Acil Durumlarının Yönetimi Hakkında Yönetmelik (Resmî Gazete, 16 Haziran 2023, Sayı 32223) — https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2023/06/20230616-3.htm (accessed 2026-10-21)
2. Türkiye İlaç ve Tıbbi Cihaz Kurumu (TİTCK) — Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi (16.10.2026) — https://titck.gov.tr/storage/Archive/2026/dynamicModulesAttachment/RuhsatlBeeriTbbirnlerListesi16.10.2026_bd62d803-98d2-4a52-8153-38c6015767fb.xlsx (accessed 2026-10-21)
3. Türkiye İlaç ve Tıbbi Cihaz Kurumu (TİTCK) — SKRS E-Reçete İlaç ve Diğer Farmasötik Ürünler Listesi (20.10.2026) — https://titck.gov.tr/storage/Archive/2026/dynamicModulesAttachment/AKLST0220.10.2026skrserecetilacvedigerfarmasotikurunler_bdfc41fe-ffff-42af-8d24-238fe81a29eb.xlsx (accessed 2026-10-21)