As President Donald Trump’s administration weighs changes to vaccine access in the U.S., Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill to establish the state’s own guidance.
Pritzker signed House Bill 767 into law on Tuesday, with the bill ordering the Illinois Department of Public Health to establish and publish its own vaccine guidelines as the federal government alters its guidance.
“We trust science here in Illinois. We look out for one another. That is the Illinois way,” Pritzker said.
The bill will expand vaccine access for children ages 3 to 7 without a prescription, and will require insurance companies to fully cover state-recommended vaccines.
It will also create new checks and balances for the Illinois Immunization Advisory Committee, according to officials.
The moves were made in the wake of several high-profile moves by the federal government to change rules and access regulations for vaccines, moves that have been criticized by Pritzker and his administration.
“With this new law, we will be able to respond swiftly to any dangerous or anti-science actions at the federal level, and insure Illinoisans stay protected,” he said.
In June, the Department of Health and Human Services, led by longtime vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr., dismantled a longtime immunization advisory council at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In late November, the CDC’s “vaccine safety” webpage was edited, with a statement reading “the statement ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim.” That change contradicts the longtime scientific conclusion that vaccines do not cause autism, and there was no evidence presented to explain the change in the language on the website.
Illinois officials blasted the Trump administration for altering the language on the CDC’s website.
“In Illinois, we follow scientific evidence, and the science is clear: vaccines are safe, effective, and save lives,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the nation is seeing our federal government, once again, reject established research and cause confusion about long debunked claims between autism and vaccines.”
Last week, NBC News acquired an internal FDA memo that spelled out plans to revise its annual flu vaccine framework. It also asked pneumonia vaccine makers to better show that products reduce pneumonia. In addition, the administration has signaled that it will release new guidance on COVID vaccinations, a move that was also criticized.
The director of the FDA’s vaccine division also told staff in a memo that an internal review found that 10 children died “after and because of receiving” the COVID-19 vaccine.
According to NBC News, experts who reviewed the memo say it is misusing information from VAERS, an unverified reporting system that allows anyone, including doctors, patients and caregivers, to submit entriesabout adverse events they believe are linked to vaccines. The system’s own website warns that submissions can contain inaccurate, incomplete or biased information.
With all of the changes concerning immunization rules and regulations, doctors in Illinois are largely supportive of the governor’s efforts.
“It’s going to help us locally in Illinois to maintain access that people have enjoyed,” Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University, said.
Jhaveri said recent measles outbreak nationwide is an example of why such a law is needed.
“The pandemic really was a massive disruption,” the professor said. “We’ve seen that has led to declines in vaccination rates across the board, and so we’re trying to back to where we were.”
Pritzker in a statement blasted Kennedy, accusing him of sowing distrust with conflicting information about vaccines.
“While RFK Jr. and his QAnon-inspired colleagues spread conspiracy theories and dangerous misinformation about vaccines, Illinois is stepping up to protect the health of our people,” Pritzker said. “It is vitally important that Illinois families can get trusted advice about vaccines, guided by experts and established research. With this new law, we will be able to respond swiftly to any dangerous or anti-science actions at the federal level — and ensure Illinoisans stay protected. More affordable and accessible health care for all Illinoisans prevents illness and saves lives.”
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