The issues raised by the author are important. We reviewed all the research studies published on IDD status in India during last 5 years in indexed journals and presented them in the editorial. The results of IDD survey conducted by ICMR was available in the annual report only which is not indexed. The findings of the ICMR study are similar to studies reviewed in the editorial. The issue of Safety of lodised Salt including iodine induced hyperthyroidism has been clarified by national and international organizations. This has been aptly summarized by the World Health Organization "In susceptible individuals, a minority of adults, usually over 45 years of age, who mayor may not have nodular goiters, transient side-effects have been reported at usual intakes exceeding 500-3000 mcg/g( day. The benefits to be derived from universal salt iodization by the more than 1500 million people estimated to be at risk or deficient, and the absence of significant adverse effects among others in the same areas who are not iodine deficient, far outweigh any risk of excess intake for a small minority(1). Hence in India, the consumption of iodine through iodized salt, i.e., 15 parts per million of iodine is absolutely safe.
 

Umesh Kapil,
Additional Professor,
Department of Human Nutrition,
All India Institute of Medical Sciences,
 New Delhi 110 029,
India.