Short answer. Finland recommends iodine tablets for people aged 40 or less and for pregnant women of any age 12. Households buy them at pharmacies without a prescription; the public health service procures tablets for children under 3 and pregnant women 2. The adult dose is 130 mg of potassium iodide. The rule that overrides everything: "Only take an iodine tablet if instructed to do so by the authority." 1
Who is the recommendation for?
The national guidance targets two groups 12:
- People aged 40 or less, from newborns to adults.
- Pregnant women of any age. The government home-supply list also names breastfeeding women 3.
The recommendation is nationwide. The national guidance does not describe separate distribution zones around nuclear power plants 12.
Where do you get iodine tablets in Finland?
Distribution is split by age 2:
| Who | How they get tablets |
|---|---|
| People aged 3 to 40 | Buy them at a pharmacy, without a prescription, as part of household self-preparedness |
| Children under 3 and pregnant women | The public health service procures and distributes suitable tablets, in practice through the maternity and child health clinics of the wellbeing services counties |
Some housing-company shelters may also hold tablets reserved for residents 2. If tablets are in short supply, children and pregnant and breastfeeding women get priority 2.
What is the dose by age?
Doses set by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 2:
| Age group | Single dose of potassium iodide |
|---|---|
| 12 to 40 years, and pregnant women | 130 mg |
| 3 to 12 years | 65 mg |
| 1 month to under 3 years | 32.5 mg |
| Under 1 month | 16.25 mg |
Take the dose for your age group only when the authorities instruct you to 1.
When should you take it?
Only when the authorities tell you to 1. The tablet is not a first response on its own: when the general warning signal sounds, the official advice is to go indoors, close doors, windows and ventilation, and follow the emergency warning 3; see Emergency alerts in Finland.
Our general guide Potassium iodide (KI): when to take it and who needs it explains how the thyroid blocking works and how recommendations differ between countries.
Should iodine be in my home supply?
If someone in your household is aged 40 or less, pregnant or breastfeeding, the government's home-supply list includes iodine tablets 3. Store them with your other emergency supplies so you can find them quickly. See Finland's official emergency kit list.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a prescription for iodine tablets in Finland?
No. People in the target group aged 3 to 40 buy them at a pharmacy without a prescription 2.
Should people over 40 take iodine?
The Finnish recommendation covers people aged 40 or less and pregnant women of any age 12. People over 40 are not in the target group.
How do babies and toddlers get tablets?
The public health service procures and distributes tablets suitable for children under 3 and for pregnant women, through maternity and child health clinics 2.
Can I take an iodine tablet as a precaution?
No. Take it only if the authority instructs you to 1.
Sources
- Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi — Radiation hazards - Preparing for Incidents and Crises — https://www.suomi.fi/guides/preparedness/how-to-prepare-for-incidents-and-crises/radiation-hazards (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health) — STM:n ohje jodista (11.10.2022) — https://stm.fi/documents/1271139/105036658/STM+Ohje+jodista+11102022.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi — General instructions on preparedness, home emergency supplies and on what to do in different situations - Preparing for Incidents and Crises — https://www.suomi.fi/guides/preparedness/how-to-prepare-for-incidents-and-crises/general-instructions-on-preparedness-home-emergency-supplies-and-on-what-to-do-in-different-situations (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
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Sources
- Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi · Radiation hazards - Preparing for Incidents and Crises checked 2026-10-20
- Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health) · STM:n ohje jodista (11.10.2022) checked 2026-10-20
- Ministry of the Interior / Suomi.fi · General instructions on preparedness, home emergency supplies and on what to do in different situations - Preparing for Incidents and Crises checked 2026-10-20