Changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are impacting not only vaccine policy but also many of the systems designed to detect and respond to disease threats. State public health agencies are stepping up, and as of Oct. 15, 2025, a nonpartisan coalition of 15 states has come together to ensure the health of its citizens. The Governors’ Public Health Alliance will represent 1 in 3 Americans (about 115 million people) and is the largest state-led public health initiative to date.
With this alliance, states plan to share data, intelligence and disease-response strategies, and they are encouraging other states to join as well since infectious diseases do not respect state borders.
This collaboration is a reminder that through the 10th Amendment, states continue to have the primary responsibility for maintaining the public’s health. The work will not supplant other initiatives that have started recently, including collaboration through the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists as well as regional initiatives, such as the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) and Northeast Public Health Collaborative, both of which have initially focused on ensuring citizens in their respective states have scientifically accurate vaccine recommendations.
Changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are impacting not only vaccine policy but also many of the systems designed to detect and respond to disease threats. State public health agencies are stepping up, and as of Oct. 15, 2025, a nonpartisan coalition of 15 states has come together to ensure the health of its citizens. The Governors’ Public Health Alliance will represent 1 in 3 Americans (about 115 million people) and is the largest state-led public health initiative to date.
With this alliance, states plan to share data, intelligence and disease-response strategies, and they are encouraging other states to join as well since infectious diseases do not respect state borders.
This collaboration is a reminder that through the 10th Amendment, states continue to have the primary responsibility for maintaining the public’s health. The work will not supplant other initiatives that have started recently, including collaboration through the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists as well as regional initiatives, such as the West Coast Health Alliance (WCHA) and Northeast Public Health Collaborative, both of which have initially focused on ensuring citizens in their respective states have scientifically accurate vaccine recommendations.