NIH Opens East Palestine, Ohio Health Research Office to Study Train Disaster

EAST PALESTINE, OHIO - FEBRUARY 3, 2026 - The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, today opened the East Palestine Train Derailment Health Research Program Office to assess and address the long-term health outcomes stemming from the 2023 train derailment in the community. The new office is the hub of a five-year, $10 million research initiative funded by NIH.

Federal research experts will engage directly with the community, coordinate studies, and help enroll residents in federally supported health research through the new office.

"NIH's research hub offers the people of East Palestine a pathway to clear answers about their health they deserve," said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. "Everyone affected by this environmental disaster deserves access to independent, gold-standard science that puts their well-being first."

Three years ago on February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailment involving 38 railcars carrying hazardous chemicals - including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylene glycol and benzene residue - resulted in prolonged fires and controlled burns in East Palestine. Several railcars burned for more than two days, and emergency responders conducted controlled burns that raised concerns about the potential airborne release of hydrogen chloride and phosgene.

Local residents reported a range of initial health symptoms, including headaches and respiratory, skin and eye irritation. These reports prompted concerns about potential longer-term effects on maternal and child health, as well as psychological, immunological, respiratory and cardiovascular health.

"This research program is designed to bring rigorous, independent science directly to the community," said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. "By establishing a local presence, we can better engage residents, support enrollment in studies, and ensure the research reflects the real experiences and concerns of the people affected."

The research program is designed to give residents clear, credible information about the 2023 disaster's public health effects while strengthening the federal government's ability to respond to major environmental health incidents.

Researchers and representatives from NIH's National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the University of Kentucky, the University of Pittsburgh, and Yale University participated in the event, alongside local, state, and federal leaders, community residents, and health care providers. After the grand opening, residents, researchers, and public health leaders led a community meeting to outline the research program, explain how residents can enroll in studies, and give community members a chance to ask questions and share their experiences directly with researchers.