Health Effects Institute
| Company type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Environmental health research |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Archibald Cox (inaugural chairperson) |
| Headquarters | Boston , United States |
Area served | North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America |
| Products | Research and Special Reports on air pollution health effects |
| Website | www |
The Health Effects Institute (HEI) is a non-profit, independent organization focused on investigating the health impacts of air pollution. Its main office is located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
History
Established in 1980 with Archibald Cox as its inaugural chairperson, HEI's core funding is approximately equally divided between the international motor vehicle sector and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Additional financial contributions occasionally come from various other public and private entities. The institute’s objectives encompass:
- Determining key research priorities related to health effects
- Financing and managing research initiatives
- Conducting impartial reviews of studies supported by HEI
- Synthesizing research outcomes into comprehensive assessments
- Sharing results with industry stakeholders, policymakers, and the general public
HEI has sponsored more than 250 research projects throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, focusing on pollutants such as carbon monoxide, air toxics, nitrogen oxides, diesel exhaust, ozone, and particulate matter. These investigations have produced over 200 Research and Special Reports, which are freely accessible online or in print through the HEI website. In response to requests from the World Health Organization and global partners, HEI has broadened its international research efforts to aid air quality policy decisions in regions including Europe, Asia, and Latin America.
The institute shares its research findings via its website, Annual Conferences, published materials, and presentations delivered to legislative bodies and public organizations.
Organizational structure
A self-governing Board of Directors composed of experts in science and policy underpins the institute’s public-private partnership framework.
The Health Research Committee works alongside scientific personnel to formulate the Five-Year Strategic Plan by incorporating feedback from HEI’s sponsors; it also selects research proposals for funding and supervises their implementation.
Separately, the Health Review Committee collaborates with staff to assess and interpret the results of funded studies as well as related scientific work.