The West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) has announced that it will continue to recommend vaccinations in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. This position follows a recent decision by the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to revise the immunization schedule and reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for children in the United States.
According to WCHA, “This decision did not follow established procedure for vaccine policy recommendations and threatens an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases in children nationwide. Children getting sick from the diseases prevented by recommended immunizations leads to missed school for children, missed work for parents and even hospitalization and death in some children.”
The AAP’s current immunization schedule is based on evidence about vaccine safety and effectiveness. The organization considers several factors when making recommendations, including:
“When children are most vulnerable to diseases;
When vaccines work best with children’s immune systems;
The safety of vaccinations being recommended;
The risk of diseases in the United States;
Our current access to healthcare and immunizations: and
Cost effectiveness of implementing national recommendations for a particular vaccination.”
While some concerns are similar internationally, others such as disease risk or access to healthcare can differ between countries. WCHA noted that “the AAP recommended immunization schedule serves as a starting point for discussions between families and their providers, as it always has. Parents should continue to make informed decisions about the vaccines that their children receive based on discussions with their child’s healthcare provider.”
Before 2025, AAP endorsed CDC recommendations that were developed through review by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). These followed a detailed assessment of disease risk and vaccine safety data within the U.S. However, WCHA states that “changes in the newly released recommended immunization schedule are not based on changes in vaccine safety and effectiveness data.” Instead, they say these changes were made after comparing U.S. vaccination numbers with those from other countries without accounting for different national conditions or consulting experts.
WCHA does not expect insurance coverage for vaccines to change this year: “All child and adolescent immunizations recommended as of Dec. 31, 2025 will remain available and covered by public and private insurers.” Still, they warn that “the changes create confusion and will put more children at risk of preventable diseases.”
WCHA said it will continue reviewing available science on vaccines while ensuring access remains unchanged. Each state is assessing how federal changes could affect local vaccine access. WCHA concluded: “WCHA and AAP continue to support these longstanding recommendations including informed parental decisions for the best protection of their children.”
In Hawaii, efforts led by agencies like the Hawaii State Department of Health focus on disease prevention, health promotion, environmental protection, public health preparedness, health education on vaccination through its Disease Outbreak Control Division, as well as providing comprehensive services across multiple islands.
