West Coast Health Alliance Sticks to Science on Pediatric Vaccines Despite Presidential Order

PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) — The West Coast Health Alliance says it will continue to endorse the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended child and adolescent immunization schedules, despite a recent White House executive order related to childhood vaccine schedule recommendations.

In a statement, the alliance said its vaccination recommendations are based on guidelines from “trusted professional medical and health organizations representing millions of healthcare providers,” reflecting what it called a broad consensus on the safety and benefits of recommended immunizations. The executive order “does not change the WCHA’s position on evidenced-based vaccine guidance,” the statement said.

On Aug. 10, President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for childhood vaccine shots to be spaced out into separate visits during an event in the Oval Office of the White House.

During his second term, Trump has urged Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate further research on vaccines.

Earlier this year, the alliance endorsed the 2026 Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics, calling it evidence-based and saying it reflects current science on vaccine safety and benefits. The alliance said immunizations protect children and adolescents from infectious diseases and “have saved millions of lives in the United States.”

The alliance also said it endorses the 2026 Maternal Immunization Schedule issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. That schedule recommends routine vaccination during pregnancy to protect pregnant people and infants from serious illness. The alliance said immunizations are “the most effective way to reduce the risk of infection and complications for both parent and child.”

The West Coast Health Alliance said immunization guidance from trusted health care organizations should remain the foundation for routinely recommended vaccines and for conversations between providers and families. It also said vaccine coverage, particularly through government programs, is important “to allow choice,” and that communities deserve recommendations based on the best available evidence, reviewed by experienced health and science professionals, along with access to recommended vaccines.

For families with questions about childhood vaccines, the alliance encouraged people to seek information from their child’s doctor. It also directed the public to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Vaccine Integrity Project for more information about immunization guidance.