The federal government offers logistical support for the distribution of new tablets and collection of old tablets for workplaces and companies with large stocks of iodine tablets.
Since 2014/15 Switzerland’s nationwide stocks of iodine tablets have been issued in a purple packaging. Prior to this, a red packaging was used.
New arrivals receive a voucher for each person in their household from the municipal authorities in their new place of residence. They can obtain iodine tablets free of charge from a pharmacy or drugstore within the distribution area on presentation of the voucher.
People who have moved from a municipality within the distribution area may already have received iodine tablets. The municipalities must therefore ask new arrivals whether they have already received iodine tablets.
Parents of infants living in households in a municipality within 50 km of a Swiss nuclear power plant are also given a voucher for their child.
Municipalities within 50 km of a Swiss nuclear power plant can obtain vouchers and information material from the Swiss Iodine Tablets Office:
Swiss Iodine Tablets Office
Pharmacies and drugstores within the distribution area which are registered with the Swiss Iodine Tablets Office can order the official potassium iodide 65 SERB iodine tablets via an online portal (potassium iodide 65 AApot iodine tablets will be distributed until September 2023).
People who have recently moved to a new municipality can obtain iodine tablets from a pharmacy or drugstore within the distribution area free of charge on presentation of the voucher issued by the municipality. It is not permitted to sell potassium iodide 65 SERB tablets in pharmacies and drugstores.
Pharmacies and drugstores can dispose of small quantities of old iodine tablets handed in by the public, companies or public institutions via their regular return channels or request a return label from the Swiss Iodine Tablets Office, which includes postage. Since 1 January 2025, the Iodine Tablets Office no longer provides return boxes and no longer pays for disposal.