Dr. Carrie Rowe, Acting Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education | Pennsylvania Department Of Education
Governor Josh Shapiro has signed Executive Order 2025-02 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, aiming to secure vaccine access for residents across Pennsylvania and support families in making their own health care choices. The event included remarks from Governor Shapiro and was attended by key figures such as Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen, CHOP CEO Madeline Bell, CHOP President Dr. Joseph Mitchell, and Co-Director of CHOP's Vaccine Education Center Charlotte Moser.
The executive order instructs the Pennsylvania Department of Health to create a state-based safety net designed to maintain children's access to vaccines. It also requires all state agencies to ensure their policies are consistent with guidance from recognized medical experts. Additional measures include launching a centralized online vaccine portal and forming a Vaccine Education Workgroup focused on improving public communication and addressing misinformation about vaccines.
Coverage for recommended vaccines will continue for all Pennsylvanians through Medicaid and private insurance programs under the new order. The Department of Aging and the Department of Education are also directed to help older adults and schools follow evidence-based recommendations.
Governor Shapiro stated: "As the federal government continues to create chaos and confusion, my Administration is stepping up to preserve access to vaccines, provide Pennsylvanians with clear, evidence-based guidance, and protect the freedom to make decisions over your own health care," said Governor Shapiro. "As a dad to four kids, I want the best, most accurate information to inform the decisions we make for our kids and freedom to make decisions that are best for them, in consultation with our doctors. I believe every Pennsylvanian deserves the same and this Executive Order directs Commonwealth agencies to take immediate action to ensure families can still get their kids vaccinated, seniors can stay protected as they age, and science and facts - not politics - guide health care decisions here in Pennsylvania."
Other speakers at the event included Madeline Bell (CHOP CEO), Dr. Debra Bogen (DOH Secretary), Charlotte Moser (Co-Director of CHOP's Vaccine Education Center), and Dr. Diana Montoya-Williams (Neonatologist at CHOP).
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