Governor Tina Kotek today issued a statement of support following the West Coast Health Alliance’s (WCHA) reaffirmation of evidence-based recommendations for the hepatitis B birth dose and completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series. WCHA guidance maintains alignment with leading medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
“Public health doesn’t stop at Oregon’s borders, and the West Coast Health Alliance plays an important role for Oregonians looking for guidance on vaccinating themselves or their children,” Governor Kotek said. “The Alliance grounds its decisions in facts, data, and expert consensus. Today’s hepatitis B guidance reflects exactly that. Oregonians who want the vaccine to protect their families should not face artificial barriers to health care due to the Trump administration.”
Truth under assault
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert J. Kennedy, Jr. has aggressively weaponized the CDC by purging its vaccine advisory committee, firing all 17 members and replacing them with cherry-picked appointees who include vaccine skeptics. He’s forced out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) director, triggered high-level and career-staff resignations, and scheduled expedited meetings where this reshaped panel will vote on critical recommendations that guide national vaccine policy and insurance coverage. Public health leaders warn these moves dismantle independent, science-based oversight and inject politics into decisions that protect Americans’ health — undermining the CDC’s credibility at a moment when trust and clarity are most needed.
States stepping in
The WCHA states of California, Hawai’i, Oregon, and Washington are fighting back against the Trump administration’s assault on science — sharing a commitment to ensuring that health recommendations are guided by safety, efficacy, transparency, access, and trust. To develop these recommendations, health officers, who are all medical doctors, and subject matter experts from each of the WCHA states reviewed guidelines from credible national medical organizations, including the AAP, ACOG, and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The WCHA believes that all clinically recommended vaccinations should be accessible to people who want them.
The WCHA will continue to build its structure and evaluate new evidence and recommendations as they become available and determine how to ensure the review process is transparent. The WCHA is committed to sharing any updated assessments with our communities.
To learn more about these updated recommendations, click here.
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