WSMA Reports: March-April 2026
Standing Up for Evidence-based Medicine
To protect patient safety and to uphold practice standards, physicians are pushing back hard on the federal government’s attack on vaccines and preventive care. For our March-April WSMA Reports feature story, writer John Gallagher talks with Washington physician leaders on the rapidly evolving state-of-play of immunization policy and guidance that’s creating tension between federal health agencies and the physician community and creating confusion for our patients.
With the assault on evidence-based information underway, physicians and clinicians can use all the help they can get to combat misinformation and disinformation. For our secondary feature, writer Rita Colorito spoke with Helen Burstin, MD, MPH, MACP, to learn how the Coalition for Trust in Health and Science is creating and using an evidence-based knowledge infrastructure to promote trust in health and science and challenge false information.
Chaos and confusion in federal vaccine policy is contributing vaccine hesitancy and nonadherence on the ground. For our risk-management column, experts at Physicians Insurance explain why it’s vital that a patient’s decision to decline recommended immunizations is carefully documented and offer documentation guidance.
Download the March-April 2026 WSMA Reports.
Also in the issue:
- Member spotlight on Elizabeth Westling, MD.
- Matthew Grierson, MD, is a doctor making a difference.
- The chilling effect of ICE—a look by the numbers.
- Heartbeat by Cathrine Wheeler, MD.
- And more.
This issue’s cover illustration is by Xinmei Liu.
WSMA Reports is WSMA’s flagship magazine, published six times a year as an exclusive member benefit, with each issue containing news, analysis, and opinion for the physician community in Washington state.
For WSMA members who would also like to receive a print copy of the magazine, email us with your preferred postal address and we’ll add you to our mailing list.
