The child received the standard vaccination last month. Democratic governors have banded together to form a up-to-date health alliance, in part to oppose the Trump administration’s vaccine guidance. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
In a clear rebuke to recent federal health policy, 15 Democratic governors announced today that they have formed a public health alliance that breaks with guidance from the Trump administration and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
It’s the biggest move by states to move away from recent policy decisions under Kennedy that have alarmed medical and public health experts, from cuts in federal health care funding to changes in vaccine guidelines.
Participating governors come from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington, as well as the US territory of Guam.
“This alliance is a commitment to transparency, preparedness and coordination so that no state faces health threats alone,” Delaware Governor Matt Meyer said in a statement.
“By working together, governors can share data, resources and lessons learned to strengthen our readiness for the next public health challenge.”
The up-to-date Governors’ Alliance for Public Health aims to strengthen cooperation among states on emergency preparedness and communication to assist them share data and expertise and improve response times to health threats. Although all participating governors are Democrats, they bill the coalition as nonpartisan.
The up-to-date alliance follows previous regional coordination efforts such as West Coast Health Alliance between California, Oregon and Washington.
In recent months at least 17 states bypassed federal guidelines and promoted wider access to the Covid-19 vaccine. The moves come in the wake of up-to-date Covid-19 vaccine guidelines issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, both led by Kennedy, a known vaccine skeptic.
“As extremists seek to weaponize the CDC and spread disinformation, we are increasing our efforts to coordinate across states, protect communities and ensure decisions are based on data, facts and the health of Americans,” California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
Meanwhile, major professional societies such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have released their own guidelines that diverge from federal policy on a range of issues, from vaccines to autism.
The up-to-date Governors Public Health Alliance will be supported by the nonprofit Governors Action Alliance, or GovAct, an initiative overseen by a group of former governors that includes both Republicans and Democrats.
Stateline reporter Anna Claire Vollers you can arrive at avollers@stateline.org.
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