California, Oregon and Washington have joined forces to create a regional vaccine alliance, moving away from federal guidance under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Florida pushes in the opposite direction by eliminating all state vaccine mandates.
West Coast States Form Health Alliance To Counter Federal Vaccine Shift
The three West Coast states announced the West Coast Health Alliance on Wednesday, pledging to issue joint recommendations on immunizations even if they diverge from federal rules, according to Reuters.
Officials said national medical associations would provide guidance.
"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," said Erica Pan, California's state public health officer.
Florida Ends Vaccine Mandates As Kennedy Fires CDC Advisors
Florida declared it would roll back all state vaccine mandates, including requirements for schoolchildren.
The shift comes after Kennedy fired the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June, replacing members with his own appointees, some of whom are vocal vaccine skeptics.
His administration also withdrew federal COVID vaccine recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson defended the federal stance, saying, "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."
Lawmakers Intensify Criticism Of Kennedy Jr.'s Vaccine Policies
Demetre Daskalakis, the former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization division, earlier said he resigned because political ideology had overtaken science at the agency under Kennedy Jr.
His departure followed the abrupt firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, which triggered further senior resignations and backlash from lawmakers and medical groups.
"I only see harm coming," Daskalakis said, warning that Kennedy's new vaccine advisory board.
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called for the resignation of Kennedy Jr., arguing that Kennedy's "dangerous policies" were endangering public health.
He wrote that "Despite the overwhelming opposition of the medical community, Secretary Kennedy has continued his longstanding crusade against vaccines and his advocacy of conspiracy theories that have been rejected repeatedly by scientific experts."
Last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised concerns over President Trump's efforts to remake CDC leadership, cautioning it could endanger public health.
Around the same time, Kennedy Jr. announced on social media that emergency authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines had been revoked, while reports suggested the Trump administration was preparing to withdraw the shots from the U.S. market in the coming months.
COVID-19 Vaccine Makers Face Market Pressure
Shares of leading vaccine makers have been sliding in recent weeks, beginning with the FDA's decision not to extend Pfizer Inc.'s (NYSE:PFE) authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine in younger children.
That setback was compounded last week when emergency use approvals for COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna Inc. (NASDAQ:MRNA), and Novavax Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX) were revoked, amid reports that the Trump administration is preparing to pull all COVID-19 vaccines from the market "in the coming months."
| Stocks | Year-To-Date Performance |
| Pfizer Inc.'s | -6.84% |
| Moderna Inc. | -42.74% |
| Novavax Inc. | -13.65% |
| Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) | -15.12% |
| GSK PLC (NYSE:GSK) | +15.94% |
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
