NIH to Investigate Health Effects East Palestine Train Crash

Vice President JD Vance and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. n Thursday announced a research initiative to study the health effects of the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed spilling 38 cars worth of toxic chemicals into the small town in northeast Ohio in February 2023. A controlled burn was conducted to deal with the chemicals with some railcars burning for days. Some members of the community reported a wide range of health issues ranging from headaches to skin, eye, and respiratory problems.

Vance, who began his career in politics as a Senator from Ohio, posted how the investigation evolved and how "the Biden administration refused to do anything to study the effects of these long term exposures." Vance was joined by Kennedy and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya in his announcement video.

"Vice President Vance, thank you for your persistence on this issue," Kennedy said. "You helped drive the first large-scale, coordinated, multiyear federal study dedicated to the long-term health effects of the East Palestine, Ohio disaster. The people of East Palestine have a right to clear, science-backed answers about the impact on their health."

The five-year, $10 million study will take a multidisciplinary approach and focus on longitudinal epidemiological research, public health tracking, and coordination among stakeholders to address the community's long-term health concerns.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine applauded the efforts.

"This funding will enable the people of East Palestine to have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that any potential for long-term health effects will be studied by the scientists at the National Institutes of Health. I thank President Trump, Vice President Vance, and Secretary Kennedy for their commitment now and into the future," DeWine said in a statement.

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