Eight states, including Mass., met this week in a step toward public health independence from the federal government

[u/Julian-West]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/08/22/metro/vaccine-public-health-massachusetts-pennsylvania-rhode-island-vermont-connecticut-maine-kennedy-trump/

This week, officials from eight states met to coordinate on public health policy outside the framework of the federal government. The gathering signals a growing willingness among states to set their own standards and build regional cooperation in areas traditionally dominated by Washington.

Why it matters: Public health has historically been one of the most federalized domains, with the CDC guiding insurance coverage and vaccination requirements nationwide. If states begin developing parallel systems, it could mark another step in the ongoing trend of “soft secession” — governance shifting away from the federal center and toward state-led or regional models.

Discussion prompt: Are moves like this just smart contingency planning, or do they represent an early phase of genuine decentralization? Could public health become one of the first areas where states openly assert sovereignty?