The Grey Bruce Health Unit is in the process of providing potassium iodide pills to people in the vicinity of the Bruce Power nuclear generating station.
Potassium iodide protects people from developing thyroid cancer in the event of a nuclear accident and radiation release.
The GBHU is first distributing the pills to about 1,600 people within a 10 km radius of Bruce Power. Eventually, the plan to distribute the pills to everyone within a 50 km radius.
Medical Officer of Health Doctor Hazel Lynn says it's important for younger people to have the pills.
"A child that's been exposed... the chance of it getting thyroid cancer 30-40 years down the road are much higher if you don't have your thyroid protected," says Doctor Lynn.
Doctor Lynn notes the potassium iodide only protects the thyroid from radioactive iodine and would not be effective in preventing health issues from anything else related to a radioactive release.
Information sessions on the potassium iodide pill distribution will be held May 4 at the Bruce Power Information Centre at 2pm and 7pm and May 25 at the Whitney Crawford Centre in Tiverton.