Amid CDC turmoil, Pennsylvania joins Northeastern states in regional public health coalition

This story originally appeared on WESA.

As a key vaccine panel under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meets to discuss disrupting the childhood vaccine schedule Thursday, Pennsylvania health officials are sharing more information about how the state could respond to ongoing federal changes.

Pennsylvania has joined seven other states and New York City in a voluntary public health partnership that will share vaccine recommendations, data collection, infectious disease management and laboratory services, according to an announcement from the state health department.

“Protecting public health has always been a collaborative effort and that joint work has never been more important,” said Pennsylvania Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen. “We respect the role public health professionals play in keeping our commonwealth safe and will continue to back science in our efforts to ensure Pennsylvanians can make the best health care decisions for themselves and their families.”

The state formally announced the coalition — which WESA first reported earlier this week — in a press release Thursday.

“The group’s shared goal is to protect the health, safety and well-being of all residents by providing information based on science, data, and evidence, while working to ensure equitable access to vaccines, medications and services,” the health department said in the release.

The Northeast Public Health Collaborative has formed working groups to identify opportunities for states to share emergency public health planning and response resources as well as vaccine recommendations and purchasing. The group’s first formal guidance advises health care workers on necessary precautions to take to protect themselves and their patients during the respiratory virus season.

An earlier initiative focused on shared emergency preparedness among Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey, where several FIFA World Cup games were held this summer.

Though the group is expected to adapt similar public health policies, there is no requirement for all participants to work in lockstep with each other.

“While the Northeast Public Health Collaborative members share common public health goals and objectives, they recognize that each state and city is independent with their own diverse populations and unique sets of laws, regulations and histories,” the announcement reads. “Members may choose to participate in or adapt those specific initiatives consistent with their particular needs, values, objectives, and statutory or regulatory requirements. ”

Amid Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhaul of federal health agencies, Pennsylvania and other Northeastern states have begun working together to develop their own public health guidelines. The collaboration, Pennsylvania officials said, aligns with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s effort to maintain current health policies aimed at broad access to vaccines.

The collaborative — which includes all the New England states except New Hampshire plus Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York state, New York City and New Jersey — formed amid rapidly changing vaccine recommendations from federal health officials.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Health declined WESA’s request for an interview but confirmed its participation in the newly formed group earlier this week.

“Pennsylvania is participating in the bipartisan Northeast Public Health [Collaborative] because the Shapiro Administration is committed to keeping Pennsylvanians healthy, preventing injury and disease, and ensuring the safe delivery of quality health care throughout the Commonwealth,” the health department said.

The multi-state alliance follows Pennsylvania’s Board of Pharmacy breaking with new limitations on the COVID-19 vaccine set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August. The agency limited the updated shots to those at risk of serious complications such as those 65 and older or those with existing health issues. Several major pharmacy chains began requiring a prescription for the vaccine as a result of the new limitations.

In response, Pennsylvania’s Board of Pharmacy revised its rules to allow pharmacists in the state to follow vaccine recommendations of medical authorities other than the CDC or the FDA. Nearly all the added medical authorities recommend broad access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

Pennsylvania has not yet issued any shared guidelines from the multi-state public health collaboration. But member states have taken measures similar to Pennsylvania’s pharmacy directive. And health officials have been talking ahead of a highly anticipated meeting of a federal vaccine advisory panel this week.

“We continue to exchange best practices, pursue efficiencies, and identify opportunities for collaboration to better meet the needs of Pennsylvanians,” the health department said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is scheduled to meet Thursday to update vaccine schedules and issue new recommendations. Guidelines issued by ACIP are more than recommendations. They are generally what determines insurance coverage requirements for vaccines and other clinical measures.

Typically staffed by volunteer experts in public health and immunization or a specific clinical field, Kennedy fired all sitting members of the committee in June and replaced them with his own picks, some of whom are outspoken vaccine skeptics. And on Monday, he added another five new members, days ahead of the ACIP meeting, including an epidemiology professor who has claimed the risks of COVID have been overstated.

Public health organizations have criticized Kennedy’s sweep of the committee as “dangerous” and questioned the expertise of its new members.

The Northeast Public Health Collaborative, led by Massachusetts, resembles a similar effort among California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii to safeguard current public health practices, according to a statement from Gov. Maura Healy.

“This multi-state collaborative is focused on developing evidence-based recommendations on vaccinations, disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and supporting state public health labs,” Healy’s office said, adding that the group is “committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities.”

Pennsylvania’s Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen will lead the Commonwealth’s participation in the collaborative, alongside other state health officials.

“To meet our mission and ensure Pennsylvanians have access to essential public health resources, members of the Department of Health work with colleagues in other states and jurisdictions to share innovations, best practices, and improve efficiency,” the department said.