PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — Oregon, Washington, California, and Hawaii have joined forces to create the West Coast Health Alliance, a collaborative effort to develop independent vaccine recommendations separate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This move follows recent upheaval at the CDC, including firings and resignations, which have raised concerns about the transparency and reliability of federal vaccine guidance.

During a congressional hearing earlier this month, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. stated, “We are the sickest country in the world, that’s why we have to fire people at the CDC. They did not do their job.” Senators questioned Kennedy about the firings and his vaccine skepticism.

In a news release, the governors of the West Coast states emphasized that the alliance aims to ensure residents “remain protected by science, not politics.”

PAST COVERAGE: West Coast states form health alliance to counter federal politicization of CDC

Despite this, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services told Reuters that the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel “remains the scientific body guiding vaccine recommendations” in the U.S.

Joining KATU’s your Voice, Your Vote segment, Dr. Dean Sidelinger, Oregon’s Health Officer and State Epidemiologist, explained the alliance’s purpose.

“The West Coast Health Alliance is really a group amongst the four states, California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, to come together to look at the data, the science, and to make evidence-based recommendations for the people of our states,” he said.

The alliance plans to focus initially on respiratory virus vaccines as the fall season approaches.

Dr. Sidelinger noted that recent changes in federal vaccine recommendations have caused confusion and could potentially put people at risk. “We’re going to look at what does the data show? Who’s still being impacted by these diseases? Who’s getting sick?” he said.

“The only agenda I’m promoting and that the fellow health departments are promoting is the health of people in our states.”

The alliance aims to provide consistent vaccine recommendations across the four states, ensuring that healthcare providers have a unified set of guidelines to follow.

Dr. Sidelinger emphasized that the alliance’s agenda is solely focused on public health. “The only agenda I’m promoting and that the fellow health departments are promoting is the health of people in our states,” he said.

The alliance is expected to finalize consensus recommendations for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV vaccines in the coming days.

Dr. Sidelinger acknowledged the challenges posed by recent federal changes, which have affected vaccine access at pharmacies. “We’re working as quickly as we can with the Board of Pharmacy, with our pharmacy partners to try and reinstate that,” he said.

As the alliance moves forward, Dr. Sidelinger reassured residents that the focus remains on transparency and science-based decision-making. “This newly formed alliance works to make sure that we don’t take our eye off the data and the science and that we are transparent about decisions that we’re making,” he said.

Watch the full Your Voice, Your Vote segment below or on our YouTube channel: