NIH announces $10 million study of health impact of East Palestine train derailment

The National Institutes of Health agreed to a five-year, $10 million research initiative to address and assess the long-term health impacts caused by the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine (Source: “$10M study of health impact of derailment approved,” Youngstown Vindicator, June 20).
 
A bipartisan group of U.S. House members — Michael Rulli, R-Salem; Dave Joyce, R-Bainbridge; Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo; and Emilia Sykes, D-Akron — reintroduced legislation Feb. 7 to authorize funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the NIH, over the next five years to study the long-term health impacts of the trail derailment.
 
Thursday’s announcement seems to be everything the legislation sought. But Congress passing the law would codify the executive branch’s funding decision.
 
The series of NIH studies will include research to understand the health impacts of exposures on short- and long-term health outcomes, public health tracking and surveillance of the community’s health conditions to support health-care decisions and preventive measures, and extensive and coordinated communications among various stakeholders and others to establish a comprehensive approach to address the health concerns of those in and around East Palestine, according to the HHS.
 
The deadline to submit research proposals is July 21 with some projects expected to begin in the fall.