Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, once again is joining a multi-state alliance with California Governor Gavin Newsom, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, and Hawaii Governor Josh Green, M.D in launching a new West Coast Health Alliance to defend the CDC and represent a unified regional response to what is perceived to be the Trump Administration’s destruction of the U.S. CDC’s credibility and scientific integrity.

In 2020, Governor Kate Brown and Governors of Washington, and Nevada joined California's COVID-19 Scientific Safety Review Workgroup, which independently reviewed the safety and efficacy of any vaccine approved by the FDA for distribution. Governor Brown said, the independent review conducted by this panel of doctors, scientists, and health experts were to ensure that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone, especially communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the disease. Those professionals took the FDA reports submitted by Big Pharma to be factual and merely rechecked FDA’s work product. Now Pharma is admitting to withholding information.

It’s the same show that the West Coast Health Alliance is performing – to stir up rejection to the Trump Administration, which has nothing to do with credible science or safety of health practices. Following the termination of Dr. Paul Offit, the FDA has removed multiple vaccine advisers. If there is any question about CDC’s practices, it shouldn’t be partisan or political to investigate why the U.S. is ranked 38th in the Legatum Prosperity Index's health and healthcare systems category. They note that although The United States is among the wealthiest nations in the world, it is far from the healthiest. Americans live shorter lives and experience more injuries and illnesses than people in other high-income countries. When the health of citizens are involved, does the Alliance not want to see the proof of the science they support?

This follows after Robert Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), fired CDC’s director, Susan Monarez and revoked the Emergency Use Authorization for Covid vaccines. He is investigating the CDC’s use of bioweapons and the connection with Big Pharma. The premise is that Big Pharma wants you addicted to their medication from the time of birth, even though a child’s body can’t use any part of a vaccine until age two, still the CDC pushes vaccinations at birth. Kennedy has been blasted by CDC's fired employees for not asking their experts about research and why they have refused to follow Kennedy’s orders.

A joint statement from Governors Newsom, Kotek, and Ferguson: “President Donald 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. The CDC has become a political tool that increasingly peddles ideology instead of science, ideology that will lead to severe health consequences. California, Oregon, and Washington will not allow the people of our states to be put at risk."

Sejal Hathi, MD, MBA, Director, Oregon Health Authority said: “Our communities deserve clear and transparent communication about vaccines — communication grounded in science, not ideology. Vaccines are among the most powerful tools in modern medicine; they have indisputably saved millions of lives. But when guidance about their use becomes inconsistent or politicized, it undermines public trust at precisely the moment we need it most. That is why Oregon is committed, alongside California and Washington, to leading with science and delivering evidence-based recommendations that protect health, save lives, and restore confidence in our public health system.”

Who exactly is making health issues political? In the coming weeks, the Alliance says they will finalize shared principles to strengthen public confidence in vaccines and in public health. Each state will independently pursue strategies shaped by their unique laws, geographies, histories, and peoples using the shared principles of the Alliance. Citizens will be watching whether the shared principles will even acknowledge the federal investigation into harmful practices, or whether they will be the ones politicizing our health needs.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Since its founding, the CDC has been central to protecting Americans from disease. But recent leadership investigations have reduced transparency and the sidelining of long-trusted advisory bodies has upset lobbyist. It has impaired the agency’s capacity to prepare the nation for their next planned respiratory virus season and other public health events, and manufacturers lack reliable information to plan production and give health care providers plans for care.

"In June, California, Oregon, and Washington condemned Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s removal of all 17 members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Today, the Alliance reaffirm our commitment to science-driven decision-making. We will continue to provide clear, evidence-based guidance to people living in our states, look to scientific experts in trusted medical professional organizations for recommendations, and work with public health leaders across the country to ensure all Americans are protected. The absence of consistent, science-based federal leadership poses a direct threat to our nation’s health security. To protect the health of our communities, the West Coast Health Alliance will continue to ensure that our public health strategies are based on best available science."

Everything the Alliance says is pointing towards their intention to carry on the work of the former CDC on a state level. Perhaps it would be a good idea if they did their own research. But basing science on Big Pharma selective reports and calling it "best available science" will not produce confidence in a broken system.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2025-09-04 12:50:20

Last Update: 2025-09-04 14:24:34