California, Washington, Oregon Form West Coast Health Alliance After CDC Shakeup

Three West Coast states are joining forces to create their own public health guidance, citing a breakdown of trust in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the Trump administration.

California Governor Gavin Newsom, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced Wednesday the launch of the West Coast Health Alliance, pledging to provide vaccine and health communication “grounded in science, not ideology.”

The move follows last week’s ouster of CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez, who clashed with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on vaccine policy. Four senior CDC leaders resigned in solidarity, warning that America’s public health is at risk. Lawyers for Monarez said she was “targeted” for refusing to support “unscientific, reckless directives.”

The White House defended the decision, saying Monarez was “not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again.” Kennedy also disbanded the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, firing 17 experts and replacing them with seven figures who have previously questioned vaccines.

In response, several states are moving away from relying on CDC recommendations. The Northeast has already formed its own Public Health Collaboration to address vaccine access, pandemic preparedness, and other key priorities. Maine recently amended its vaccine law to operate independently of federal programs.

On the West Coast, the new alliance says it will finalize principles in the coming weeks to restore public confidence in vaccines and ensure consistent, evidence-based guidance. The group will also turn to organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which have already issued COVID-19 vaccine guidance separate from the CDC.

“In a vacuum of clear, evidence-based vaccine guidance, manufacturers lack reliable information to plan production, health care providers struggle to provide consistent care, and families face uncertainty about access and coverage,” the alliance said in its statement.

The Department of Health and Human Services criticized the state-led efforts, calling them partisan. HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said, “ACIP remains the scientific body guiding immunization recommendations in this country, and HHS will ensure policy is based on rigorous evidence and Gold Standard Science, not the failed politics of the pandemic.”

Credit: CNN Newsource

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