WSNA statement on executive order targeting childhood vaccine schedule

The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) strongly opposes efforts to reshape our nation’s childhood vaccine recommendations through political directives rather than established scientific and clinical processes. Vaccination recommendations must be guided by evidence, rigorous scientific review, and the expertise of health professionals — not political ideology.

Nurses understand the consequences of these decisions because we are on the front lines caring for patients. We administer vaccines, answer parents’ questions, care for children and adults suffering from preventable illnesses, and work every day to build trust with our patients and communities.

Increasingly, nurses are being asked to combat the consequences of misinformation and harmful or confusing recommendations coming from the federal government. When public health guidance conflicts with established evidence, it undermines trust, creates unnecessary uncertainty for families, and makes the work of protecting our communities more difficult.

WSNA continues to stand by vaccine schedules recommended by trusted, evidence-based professional organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics. In Washington state, we remain aligned with the evidence-based recommendations of the West Coast Health Alliance. Changes to longstanding vaccine recommendations should occur because new and credible scientific evidence supports them — not because of political pressure from any administration.

At a time when communities across the country are confronting outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, we should be strengthening public confidence in vaccination — not creating additional confusion about recommendations that have protected generations of children.

We believe that nurses should continue providing patients and families with accurate information, advocating for evidence-based public health policy, and speaking out when political interference threatens the health of the people and communities we serve.

Our message to Washington families is clear: Listen to the nurses and health professionals that are accountable for the care they provide. The science supporting the safety and efficacy of immunizations has not changed, and neither has our commitment to protecting the health of our communities.