West Coast Health Alliance continues to recommend vaccination in alignment with the American Academy of Pediatrics
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
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 current American Academy of Pediatrics Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule is based on established vaccine safety and effectiveness evidence.
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 health care provider.
Prior to 2025, AAP had endorsed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, based on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which followed a rigorous review of data on risk of disease and safety of vaccination in the United States.
The current American Academy of Pediatrics Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule is based on established vaccine safety and effectiveness evidence.
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 health care provider.
Prior to 2025, AAP had endorsed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, based on the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which followed a rigorous review of data on risk of disease and safety of vaccination in the United States.
Changes in the newly released recommended immunization schedule are not based on changes in vaccine safety and effectiveness data.
The changes were based on a comparison of the number of routine vaccinations recommended in the United States versus select other countries. It did not consider the different conditions in each country. These changes were also not vetted by experts from medical and public health organizations, health care providers, or the public before they were published.
These changes are not expected to affect insurance coverage for vaccines this plan year. All child and adolescent immunizations recommended as of December 31, 2025 will remain available and covered by public and private insurers; however the changes create confusion and will put more children at risk of preventable diseases.
The West Coast Health Alliance is a coalition of four states - Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii to provide evidence based recommendations for vaccinations.
These changes are not expected to affect insurance coverage for vaccines this plan year. All child and adolescent immunizations recommended as of December 31, 2025 will remain available and covered by public and private insurers; however the changes create confusion and will put more children at risk of preventable diseases.
The West Coast Health Alliance is a coalition of four states - Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii to provide evidence based recommendations for vaccinations.
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