Should you buy iodine tablets in Iceland?

Short answer. Iceland does not distribute iodine tablets to households. The Chief Epidemiologist and the Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority (Geislavarnir ríkisins) said in 2022 that people have no reason to buy them, because fallout reaching Iceland from a nuclear accident in mainland Europe would be very unlikely to require iodine, sheltering or evacuation ¹. A central stock exists, 10,000 tablets according to a 2017 parliamentary answer ².

Does Iceland give out iodine tablets?

No. There is no pre-distribution to households and no distribution zone ¹². Iceland has no nuclear power plants; the threat noted in the 2017 parliamentary answer comes from ships and submarines near the country ². The zone systems used around nuclear plants elsewhere are explained in our nuclear plant zones guide.

What did the health authorities say in 2022?

In 2022, as people in Iceland were buying iodine tablets because of the situation in Ukraine, the Chief Epidemiologist (Sóttvarnalæknir) and Geislavarnir ríkisins published a joint notice ¹. Its key sentence: "Það er því engin ástæða fyrir fólk á Íslandi að kaupa joðtöflur til að verjast hugsanlegri geislavirkni frá meginlandi Evrópu" — there is therefore no reason for people in Iceland to buy iodine tablets to protect themselves against possible radioactivity from mainland Europe ¹.

The reasoning given is distance: fallout reaching Iceland from a nuclear accident in mainland Europe would be very unlikely to require iodine, sheltering or evacuation ¹. The notice also advises taking iodine tablets only on the instructions of the health authorities ¹.

Is there a national stockpile?

Yes. A central stock is held by the Chief Epidemiologist. A 2017 answer from the Minister of Justice to the Althing put it at 10,000 tablets ². The tablets would be distributed on the Chief Epidemiologist's instructions, together with the civil protection department of the National Commissioner of Police ¹². Phaenyx found no more recent official figure; the 10,000 figure dates from 2017.

Can I buy iodine tablets in Iceland?

No official source found regulates their sale. The 2022 notice records that people in Iceland were buying them, and advises taking them only on health-authority instructions ¹. Phaenyx therefore does not state whether they are sold over the counter or on prescription in Iceland.

Our potassium iodide guide explains doses and timing from international sources, and what to do after a nuclear explosion covers the wider response.

What should an Icelandic household do instead?

Follow the national baseline: be able to manage at home for at least three days, keep a radio, and follow official instructions through the 112 Iceland SMS alerts, radio and TV. See the Iceland supplies page and Iceland alerts page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need iodine tablets in Iceland?

Iceland's health authorities said in 2022 that people in Iceland have no reason to buy them against possible radioactivity from mainland Europe ¹.

How many iodine tablets does Iceland hold?

10,000 tablets, according to a 2017 parliamentary answer ². No more recent figure was found.

Who would distribute iodine in Iceland?

The Chief Epidemiologist, together with the civil protection department of the National Commissioner of Police ¹².

When should I take iodine?

Only on the instructions of the health authorities ¹.

Sources

1. Embætti landlæknis – Sóttvarnalæknir og Geislavarnir ríkisins — Ekki ástæða fyrir heimili að eiga joðtöflur vegna ástandsins í Úkraínu — https://island.is/s/landlaeknir/frett/ekki-astaeda-fyrir-heimili-ad-eiga-jodtoeflur-vegna-astandsins-i-ukrainu (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Alþingi — 173/147 svar: viðbúnaður við kjarnorkumengun (Svar dómsmálaráðherra, 147. löggjafarþing 2017–2018) — https://www.althingi.is/altext/147/s/0173.html (accessed 2026-10-20) — althingi.is blocks automated access (403); read via Wayback Machine snapshot of 2022-02-27