This week, Governor Pritzker made a controversial shift in public health policy, signing into law a bill that grants the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) the power to issue its own vaccine guidelines, separate from the CDC.

House Bill 767 mandates that state-regulated insurance plans cover vaccines recommended by IDPH, even if they diverge from federal standards. It also allows children as young as three to receive vaccines without a prescription and broadens the scope of IDPH expertise by no longer limiting it to CDC-affiliated experts.

Critics say the move risks politicizing vaccine policy and creating public confusion. By stepping away from the CDC’s consensus-driven framework, Illinois could create inconsistencies in care and coverage, with unclear long-term consequences. Lawmakers have urged more transparency and coordination, warning that going it alone may undermine trust in public health guidance.

The law follows an executive order by Pritzker earlier this year, after the FDA rolled back support for certain COVID-19 vaccines.