Trump's week in review: From new student visa policy to East Palestine investigation
4. Trump admin. launches long-term study into chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio
Vice President J.D. Vance appeared alongside Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Director of the National Institutes of Health Jay Bhattacharya at a press conference in East Palestine, Ohio, on Thursday.
As Vance noted in his remarks, East Palestine was the site of a train derailment two years ago that resulted in a controlled burn of toxic chemicals contained on the train that raised concerns about “the long-term impacts of these chemicals in the water, in the air” after many members of the community became ill.
“The National Institute of Health, under my direction, has launched a five-year, $10 million research initiative to address health outcomes stemming from this calamity,” Kennedy said at the press conference. “This is the first large-scale, coordinated, multi-year federal study focused specifically on the long-term health impact of the East Palestine disaster. The program will support robust community-engaged epidemiological research to understand the impact of exposures on short and long-term injuries.”
Kennedy added, “It will also support public health tracking and surveillance of the community’s health conditions to help us make informed healthcare choices and take appropriate preventative measures.”
Bhattacharya characterized the study as a “concrete way” to honor the NIH’s mission to “advance the health and well-being of the American people.”
“The NIH is working to ensure that the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities are listened to, cared for, and they get the answers they deserve,” he added. “Today, the NIH has established a program to coordinate health-related research with public health department needs and clinical practice to respond to the health effects of the derailment.”
Bhattacharya anticipated that the research would commence in the fall.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
