[Freedom4US]

It *will* protect the thyroid, an otherwise easy target for radiation. They talked about distributing the pills in the 50's and 60's but decided against it, not wanting to "alarm" the public. The Soviet Union had no such qualms. That they are distributing them now is not necessarily good news when you think about it.

[RightWhale]

When you are bedded down for the night, but light flashes from Cerenkov radiation inside your eyeballs is keeping you awake, then you know that your fallout shelter isn't quite up to spec.