In Rebuke of RFK Jr., the West Coast Unites on Vaccine Policy

Leaders in California, Oregon and Washington are teaming up to issue their own vaccine recommendations in response to the Trump administration’s inconsistent guidance.

“The CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science, ideology that will lead to severe health consequences. California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk,” the states’ governors said Wednesday in a joint statement.

The announcement comes amid growing turmoil related to public health in Washington. President Donald Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have fired or replaced top Centers for Disease Control officials, stripped away vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and children, replaced every member on the federal immunization committee and slashed funding for mRNA research.

The three Democratic governors offered few specifics on how the partnership, called the Western Health Alliance, might shape which vaccines are available in their states. For now, they say the coalition will lean on medical groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics to guide its recommendations.

The West Coast is not alone. Northeast states are discussing a similar alliance to coordinate vaccine policy outside of the federal government.

“While it’s deeply troubling that states feel compelled to create parallel health infrastructure,” said Jake Scott, infectious diseases physician and clinical associate professor at Stanford School of Medicine, “protecting access to reliable, science-based vaccine guidance serves the fundamental public health interest and medical ethics.”

Scott worries that building parallel public health systems could create confusion across state lines or lead to inconsistent messaging.

There’s also the issue of cost. Most insurers and federal safety-net programs follow CDC guidance when deciding what vaccines to cover. If states diverge from federal recommendations, there is no guarantee those shots will be paid for.

“If you’re already on the fence,” said Peter Chin-Hong, infectious disease expert at the University of California San Francisco, “conflicting voices could push you away from vaccination altogether.”

Chin-Hong called the fragmentation of vaccine policy devastating, after decades of consensus that kept Americans healthy. His advice for now: If you’re confused by the headlines, talk to your doctor.