A method for therapeutically treating medical conditions requiring chronic therapy such as fibrocystic breast disease, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and including the treatment of women considered to be at risk to breast and/or ovarian cancer without causing an overt thyroid disease by first administering to a patient a daily loading dose of molecular iodine (I.sub.2) for a time period not to exceed six months and preferably 2 to 4 months at a concentration level sufficient to remediate symptoms associated with the medical condition followed by daily dosing with a maintenance dose of I.sub.2 after treatment of the loading dose is completed with the concentration of the maintenance dose being substantially less than the concentration of the loading dose.