The National Institutes of Health announced funding Thursday for long-term health research in East Palestine, Ohio, where a train derailment spilled almost 2 million pounds of hazardous chemicals in 2023.
Over the next five years, NIH will spend $10 million to study health problems being reported by East Palestine residents.
“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,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said in a news release.
East Palestine residents have expressed concern about hydrogen chloride and phosgene exposure after the controlled burning of seven rail cars following the accident. There are worries about asthma, headaches and respiratory irritation.
