The Health Effects Institute (HEI) is an independent, non-profit corporation specializing in research on the health effects of
air pollution
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different typ ...
. It is headquartered in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
, United States.
HEI was founded in 1980 with
Archibald Cox
Archibald Cox Jr. (May 17, 1912 – May 29, 2004) was an American lawyer and law professor who served as U.S. Solicitor General under President John F. Kennedy and as a special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal. During his career, he was ...
as the founding chair of the organization. Typically, HEI receives half of its core funds from the worldwide motor vehicle industry and half from the
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
. Other public and private organizations periodically support special projects or certain research programs. To accomplish its mission, HEI's roles are:
* to identify the highest priority areas for health effects research
* to fund and oversee research activities
* to provide intensive independent review of HEI-support and related research
* to integrate HEI's research results with those of other institutions into broader evaluations
* to communicate its findings to industry, policy makers, and the public
HEI has funded over 250 studies in North America, Europe, and Asia that have produced research to inform decisions on
carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simple ...
, air toxics,
nitrogen oxides Nitrogen oxide may refer to a binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen, or a mixture of such compounds:
Charge-neutral
*Nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen(II) oxide, or nitrogen monoxide
*Nitrogen dioxide (), nitrogen(IV) oxide
* Nitrogen trioxide (), or ...
,
diesel exhaust
Diesel exhaust is the gaseous exhaust produced by a diesel type of internal combustion engine, plus any contained particulates. Its composition may vary with the fuel type or rate of consumption, or speed of engine operation (e.g., idling or at ...
,
ozone
Ozone (), or trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule with the chemical formula . It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope , breaking down in the lo ...
,
particulate matter, and other pollutants. The results of these endeavors have been published in over 200 Research Reports and Special Reports which are available electronically free of charge on the HEI website or in print form.
At the urging of the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of ...
and countries throughout the world, HEI has extended its international research to help inform air quality decisions in Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
All project results and HEI Commentaries are widely communicated through HEI's home page, Annual Conferences, publications, and presentations to legislative bodies and public agencies.
Organizational structure
An independent
Board of Directors consists of leaders in science and policy who are committed to the public-private partnership model.
The Health Research Committee works with the scientific staff to develop the Five-Year Strategic Plan with input from HEI's sponsors and other interested parties, select research projects for funding, and oversee their conduct.
The Health Review Committee, which has no role in selecting or overseeing studies, works with staff to evaluate and interpret the results of funded studies and related research.
References
External links
Health Effects InstituteEPA description of HEI
{{Authority control
Air pollution in the United States
Air pollution organizations
American companies established in 1980
Environmental health organizations
Environmental organizations based in Massachusetts
Medical and health organizations based in Massachusetts