Oregon could lose millions in childhood vaccine funding
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Federal funds for childhood vaccines in Oregon could be cut by nearly $9 million, part of more than $2 billion in broader cancellations of pandemic-era federal public health spending, per government data.
Why it matters: Federal money helps fight preventable and sometimes deadly diseases like measles, which is now spreading in several parts of the country.
Zoom in: The cuts would amount to $8.9 million out of nearly $53 million total in public health grants awarded to the state by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What they're saying: "We're talking about contractors losing their contracts and not being able to get paid, people who were working on vaccination programs not there anymore, and all of the supporting infrastructure that these funds provided evaporated in an instant," says Josh Michaud, associate director for global health policy at health policy research and news organization KFF.
- States also get separate federal money for immunization efforts through programs like Vaccines for Children, Michaud notes — though many were counting on these grants as well.
Yes, but: A federal judge temporarily blocked the cuts last week after nearly two dozen states, including Oregon, filed a lawsuit against HHS.
What we're watching: How this plays out in court.