WCHA STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO ACIP MEETING

HONOLULU - The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH), along with the Washington State Department of Health, California Department of Public Health and the Oregon Health Authority, issued the following statement in response to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting this week.

"At the September 18-19 ACIP meeting, committee members did not employ standard scientific methods to evaluate information presented to them. The ACIP recommendations on measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine and proposed tabled recommendations on Hepatitis B, limit patient choice and access to vaccines with disproportionate impact on children receiving immunizations through Vaccines for Children (VFC). No new safety or efficacy data were presented to form the basis of these recommendations.

"The West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) affirms the pre-existing and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation that parents have an option to choose whether their child receives separate (MMR + V) or combined (MMRV) vaccines for children less than 4 years of age. Restoring a process for systematically reviewing the evidence and a framework for translating the evidence into recommendations will restore scientific rigor and transparency and maintain vaccine choice for all families."

Recommendations shared by the Alliance reflect guidance from respected national medical organizations - including the AAP, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Family Physicians. These recommendations are grounded in the principles of safety, transparency and public trust.

Protecting public health remains our top priority. The DOH is committed to ensuring that all individuals - regardless of background or income - have access to recommended vaccines and that healthcare providers are supported in following consistent, evidence-based immunization schedules. Please talk to your provider or visit DOH's website for more information about vaccines.

About the WCHA

The WCHA was formed earlier this month to help safeguard scientific expertise by ensuring that public health policies in Washington, California, Oregon and Hawaiʻi are informed by trusted scientists, clinicians and other public health leaders. This will allow residents to receive consistent, science-based recommendations they can rely on - regardless of shifting federal actions.

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