3 western states form vaccine alliance to counter feds
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The governors of California, Oregon and Washington said Wednesday they would collaborate on developing their own vaccine guidelines, in response to what they called the politicization of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: The newly formed West Coast Health Alliance is the first blue state public health partnership to push back against Trump administration policies.
- Eight northeastern states are also reportedly considering coordinated vaccine recommendations.
The western states envision issuing guidelines they said would be driven by evidence-based recommendations from national medical organizations.
- The effort also includes releasing shared principles on how to build public trust in vaccines, they said.
- The move comes after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. effectively restricted COVID-19 vaccines to high-risk groups, limiting access for healthy children or healthy pregnant women.
- Vaccine advisors to the CDC are due to meet this month to weigh the suitability of the mRNA shots.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists have already issued their own recommendations that run counter to the administration.
What they're saying: "The CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science, ideology that will lead to severe health consequences." California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) said in a statement. "California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk."
- "Our communities deserve clear and transparent communication about vaccines," said Sejal Hathi, director of the Oregon Health Authority.
The other side: HHS Communications Director Andrew Nixon blamed Democrat-run states for destroying public trust in health agencies. He said HHS will ensure vaccine policy is based on "rigorous evidence ... not the failed politics of the pandemic."
