Vaping vitamin E acetate may create a new toxic chemical that causes fever and lung inflammation
Official title: Vaping α-T-acetate Generates a Novel Toxic Compound that Induces Fever and Lung Inflammation
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11257340 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether heating vitamin E acetate in vaping devices forms a previously missed toxic compound that can cause fever and lung inflammation in people who vape.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | January 8, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $198,125 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI182118-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11257340 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who currently vape or who have had EVALI would be most relevant for providing samples or connecting to related clinical efforts.
✕Less likely to help
People who never use vaping products or children under 21 are unlikely to directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Researchers will reproduce vaping conditions to find chemicals formed when vitamin E acetate is heated and use advanced lab tests to detect a high-molecular-weight compound that standard tests missed. They will test that compound on lung cells in the lab and in mice to see whether it causes fever, eosinophilia, and lasting lung changes. The team will compare effects of the vaped compound to non-vaped vitamin E acetate, which has different effects on lung immune cells. Results aim to explain why some people developed severe EVALI symptoms after vaping certain products.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, this could pinpoint a cause of vaping-related lung injury and help guide prevention, safer product rules, and treatment strategies for affected patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous investigations linked vitamin E acetate to EVALI, but the specific high-molecular-weight toxic compound described here is a new finding that has not yet been confirmed in people.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cook-Mills, Joan M — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Cook-Mills, Joan M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.