Japan Hands Out Cancer Drugs as Radiation Risk Grows

Japan is handing out iodine pills to prevent the risk of thyroid cancer as the danger of nuclear radiation increases.

The Japanese Government is handing out iodine pills to prevent the risk of thyroid cancer, as the danger of a nuclear meltdown increases and radiation leaks following a massive earthquake and subsequent explosions at a nuclear power plant.

The iodine pills are hoped to flood the thyroid gland with ordinary iodine in hopes of preventing it from taking up the radioactive form.

Several plant workers have become ill due to exposure, but the risk to the public is low, as only small levels of radiation have been released from the plant, officials have said.

However, some 170,000 residents living within a 30km radius of the plant have been urged to