Washington, California, Oregon form alliance to develop vaccine guidelines in protest of CDC overhaul

Washington, California, and Oregon announced Wednesday the creation of a new West Coast Health Alliance aimed at issuing unified vaccine recommendations for their residents as there has been an overhaul of staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Trump administration.

The three-state partnership comes in response to recent federal actions that the leaders of the three states claim have undermined the independence of the CDC.

Gov. Bob Ferguson of Washington, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, and Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon issued a joint statement accusing the Trump administration of politicizing the CDC and eroding public trust in the agency. They cited the recent removal of CDC staff and advisory committee members as part of their rationale for forming the alliance.

“President Trump’s mass firing of CDC doctors and scientists, and his blatant politicization of the agency, is a direct assault on the health and safety of the American people,” the governors said in a joint statement. “California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk.”

The alliance will coordinate health guidelines across the three states by aligning immunization recommendations with input from national medical organizations. Each state will still develop its own strategies but will share common principles to strengthen confidence in vaccines and ensure that recommendations are based on scientific evidence.

The governors said the effort is also intended to provide clarity to health care providers and families amid shifting federal policy. According to the joint announcement, the removal of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has left manufacturers, clinicians, and families uncertain about future vaccine guidance.

In the coming weeks, the alliance will release its shared principles. State officials emphasized they will continue to consult trusted scientists, clinicians, and public health leaders, while respecting tribal sovereignty over vaccine services.

“The absence of consistent, science-based federal leadership poses a direct threat to our nation’s health security,” the governors said. “To protect the health of our communities, the West Coast Health Alliance will continue to ensure that our public health strategies are based on best available science.”

Critics blasted the move as hypocritical, noting that Washington, Oregon, and California imposed some of the harshest mandates and emergency orders in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those measures, including extended lockdowns, school closures, and strict vaccine requirements, were later shown to be ineffective and not supported by scientific evidence.