California, Oregon, Washington to launch West Coast Health Alliance

By Paul Levikow

September 3, 2025 – (East County) The governors of California, Oregon and Washington today announced they will launch a West Coast Health Alliance aimed at recommendations about immunizations, in response to recent cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

California Governor Gavin Newsom, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson issued a joint statement saying the alliance is “in response to recent federal actions that have undermined the independence of the CDC and raised concerns about the politicization of science.” The governors say they are beginning the process to provide evidence-based unified recommendations to their residents regarding who should receive immunizations and to help ensure the public has access and credible information for confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy. 

The announcement came a day after ECM asked California Attorney General Rob Bonta if the state will take steps to ensure Californians of all ages will have access to the COVID-19 vaccination. East County pharmacies have reported recently receiving the COVID vaccine and boosters. 

On the same day that the West Coast Health Alliance was announced, Florida announced it will become the first state to lift vaccine mandates, including for school children.

“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,” Newsom said. “The CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science, ideology that will lead to severe health consequences.”

Director and State Public Health Officer of the California Department of Public Health, Dr. Erica Pan issued a warning.

“The dismantling of public health and dismissal of experienced and respected health leaders and advisors, along with the lack of using science, data, and evidence to improve our nation’s health are placing lives at risk,” Pan said. “California stands together with our public health and medical professional colleagues to uphold integrity and support our mission to protect the health of our communities.”

The Alliance will help safeguard scientific expertise by ensuring that public health policies in California, Oregon, and Washington are informed by trusted scientists, clinicians, and other public health leaders, according to the governors’ statement. Through this partnership, the three states will start coordinating health guidelines by aligning immunization recommendations informed by respected national medical organizations. This will allow residents to receive consistent, science-based recommendations they can rely on -- regardless of shifting federal actions.

In the coming weeks, the Alliance will finalize shared principles to strengthen public confidence in vaccines and in public health. While each state will independently pursue strategies shaped by their unique laws, geographies, histories, and peoples, these shared principles will form the foundations of the Alliance. Importantly, the three states affirm and respect Tribal sovereignty, recognizing that Tribes maintain their sovereign authority over vaccine services. 

Since its founding, the CDC has been central to protecting Americans from disease. But recent leadership changes, reduced transparency, and the sidelining of long-trusted advisory bodies have impaired the agency’s capacity to prepare the nation for respiratory virus season and other public health challenges, according to the statement.

“In a vacuum of clear, evidence-based vaccine guidance, manufacturers lack reliable information to plan production, health care providers struggle to provide consistent plans of care, and families face uncertainty about access and coverage. The West Coast Health Alliance will continue to ensure that our public health strategies are based on best available science.”