Supporting OPS's Policy and Legislative Agenda
Member advocates work with our community and national allies on a variety of health care, equity, social, education, and economic issues that impact children's health, their families, and their medical providers.
Opinion: How to Talk to Loved Ones about the COVID Vaccine
OPS Member Paul Mitchell, MD. Originally published in the Regal Courier.
11/23/2021
"That's just how our family handles health. We prefer the natural way without vaccines." As an Oregon pediatrician, it's common for my conversations with families about childhood vaccines to…
Dr. Shaili Rajput on the COVID vaccine for children
OPS
11/15/2021
"Our job as parents and as pediatricians is to protect children and to ensure their safety, their health and their well being," said OPS Member Shaili Rajput, MD, MPH.…
Dr. Ryan Hassan Answers Parent Questions about the COVID Vaccine for Kids
OPS
11/03/2021
COVID vaccines will soon be available for Oregon kids ages 5 and older. Yesterday, the CDC recommended the pediatric Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for ages 5 - 11. On November 3, OPS…
Opinion: We Can Do More to Protect Children from COVID-19
OPS Members Mabry Gentry, Sol Khaitas and Samar Fakih. Originally published in the Albany Democrat-Herald.
09/27/2021
As medical students at Western University in Lebanon, we are thankful for the overwhelming support from our community. From the Bag Ladies who provide our very first doctor bags…
Opinion: Congress must pass paid leave policy for all families now
OPS Member Sherri Alderman, MD, MPH, FAAP
09/09/2021
"I am a pediatrician and a mother. Children are at the center of my everyday work professionally, yet I can still remember what it felt like to be a…
Opinion: With hospitals full, Oregonians must take action to keep kids safe, healthy
OPS Member Dana Braner, MD, and Matthias Merkel, MD
08/25/2021
"Due to the extraordinary impacts of COVID-19, much like our colleagues across the region and country, OHSU and OHSU Doernbecher Hospitals are not currently able to provide necessary and life-saving…
Policy Statement on Universal Masking at Schools
OPS & OAFP
07/29/2021
[July 29, 2021] The Oregon Pediatric Society (OPS), state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP) strongly advocate for in-person learning…
2021 Legislative Victories for Oregon Kids
OPS
07/08/2021
The Oregon Pediatric Society had a very successful 2021 state legislative session! Our intrepid team of OPS member advocates met with legislators and staff to lobby for healthy kids,…
Opinion: SB 587 Keeps Smoking Out of Kids’ Hands
OPS Member James Bishara, MD, FAAP
06/25/2021
Tobacco-related public health measures should be focused on preventing youth from starting smoking, vaping or chewing nicotine products. While the majority of people struggling with nicotine addiction are adults, 95%…
Dr. Cheryl Hanna Advocates for Science-Driven Newborn Screening
OPS
05/24/2021
Cheryl Hanna, MD, a retired pediatric endocrinologist, has been on OPS’s Advocacy Committee since its inception in 2017. At that point, Dr. Hanna had been retired for three years…
Opinion: Wear a mask to protect kids and community
OPS Member Wendy Hasson, MD, FAAP
05/23/2021
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made the landmark announcement that individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not need to wear a mask indoors with the…
Dr. Ryan Hassan on COVID Vaccines for Ages 12+
OPS
05/11/2021
On May 10, the FDA announced that it has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 12+. OPS Member Ryan Hassan, MD, MPH, joined OPB’s Think Out Loud on May…
Opinion: Trust the Science — Get Vaccinated
OPS Member Zach Spoehr-Labutta, MD, FAAP
05/01/2021
"There is only one way to end the COVID-19 pandemic: herd immunity. On April 19, Oregon took a major step forward toward that goal when COVID-19 vaccination was opened…
Sustaining the Momentum of Anti-Racism Work
OPS Member Antwon Chavis, MD, FAAP
04/21/2021
Thank you for your efforts to support Oregon’s communities of color. I write this message the evening of the murder conviction in George Floyd’s death largely as an attempt to continue…
Opinion: Help our Children Understand, Deal with Climate Change
OPS Member Shaili Rajput, MD, FAAP
04/21/2021
"Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and Earth Day is here. After a winter punctuated by ice storms, power outages and pandemic isolation, the sights and sounds of spring…
Member Analysis: The Child Tax Credit
Sherri Alderman, MD, MPH, FAAP
03/31/2021
The recent 2021 COVID relief package, the American Rescue Plan, includes a significant expansion of the Child Tax Credit, which has the potential to lift millions of children out…
Opinion: Safe gun storage is the prescription for 2021
OPS Member Representative Lisa Reynolds, MD; Representative Maxine Dexter, MD; and Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, MD
03/29/2021
"As doctors, we work every day to support the health of Oregonians. An important part of that includes helping people take steps to keep themselves and their loved ones…
2021 OPS Advocacy Agenda Update & Remembrance
Julie Scholz, OPS Executive Director
03/25/2021
[3/25/21] Sometimes your Facebook anniversary memories are bittersweet in ways you could never have imagined. On March 24, 2018, OPS’s new Advocacy Committee organized its first advocacy action, joining…
OPS Child Health Advocacy Goes Virtual at 2021 Lobby Day
OPS
02/25/2021
OPS hosted its third annual State Advocacy Day on February 24. This year was a first – a video conference gathering for the morning group event and small virtual…
Opinion: Oregon lawmakers must adopt stronger vaccine policies
By OPS Member Dr. Kim Ruscher, Dr. Serena Black and Dr. James McGovern
01/29/2021
"Vaccinations save lives. They spare us from suffering the impacts of disease and the dangers of infectious epidemics. Oregon’s Legislature should adopt Senate Bill 254 to ensure our communities are…
Tips for Sending Effective Emails to Your Legislators
OPS
01/28/2021
Emailing your legislators is one of the most simple, effective, and private advocacy actions. Your emails should be as personal as possible, and they can be brief. First, use the…
OPS Member Kate Ballard on Oregon’s New Prescription Translation Law
OPS
12/22/2020
One-in-five emergency room visits are due to misunderstanding medication instructions. Starting Jan. 1, 2021, Oregon pharmacies are required to address this critical safety issue by providing prescription bottle labels…
Supporting Patients, Families, Colleagues, and Communities Against Racism
OPS Board of Directors
06/05/2020
As child health providers, we care for a diverse population and have seen the health effects of racism and childhood trauma. The Oregon Pediatric Society stands with our patients…
Opinion: Retail licenses limit youth tobacco use
OPS Member James Bishara, MD.
02/07/2020
City, county and statewide tobacco retail license ordinances have been proposed as a method to restrict youth access to products containing nicotine. In 2018, more than 20% of high…
2020 OPS Advocacy Agenda
OPS
01/21/2020
2020 Children's Agenda Endorsements Safely Store All Firearms - Require the safe storage of guns when they are not under the owner's immediate control, as well as mandatory reporting of lost…
OPS Supports Clatsop County’s Tobacco Retail License Ordinance
OPS Board of Directors and OPS Advocacy Committee
01/03/2020
1-3-20 Dear Clatsop County Board of Commissioners and Mr. Don Bohn, County Administrator, The Oregon Pediatric Society (OPS) is the state chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. OPS…
Opinion: Heroism comes in combining our efforts
Lauren Herbert, MD
10/08/2019
This summer, I traveled with Sen. Ron Wyden and a small group to a shelter in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, directly across the border from El Paso, Texas. Under the “Migrant…
2020 CCO Incentive Measures for Child Health Providers
OPS
09/19/2019
Last month Oregon Health Authority announced the 2020 CCO Incentive Measures, and Oregon Pediatric Society is highlighting the measures aimed at child health providers. You may download or print our…
Video: How Extreme Risk Protection Orders Save Lives
OPS
09/05/2019
Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) are court orders designed to temporarily keep firearms away from people who are at a high risk of hurting themselves or others. Since September is…
Immigration Spotlight: Dr. Lauren Herbert Praised for Work at US-Mexico Border
OPS
08/19/2019
"You got a real hero in your midst in Dr. [Lauren] Herbert,” Senator Ron Wyden told the Eugene Register-Guard . “Had we not had her, I really fear for what would have…
OPS Priorities and the 2019 State Legislative Session
Julie Scholz, OPS
07/23/2019
OPS advanced several priority bills and initiatives during the recent 2019 Oregon Legislative Session. Of the 2,768 bills introduced, OPS’s lobbyist Katy King and our Advocacy Committee tracked 23 priority-one…
AAP’s Visit to the Border: What They Saw and What You Can Do
Kyle Yasuda, AAP
07/17/2019
A message from AAP President Kyle Yasuda: I recently visited our southern border with AAP President-Elect Sally Goza, MD, FAAP; Marsha Griffin, MD, FAAP, co-chair of AAP's Immigrant Health Special…
Vaccinations are Successful, Safe Protection
Ryan Hassan, MD
04/18/2019
OPS Member Ryan Hassan, MD, (Clackamas Pediatric Clinic) shares his support for vaccinations in this letter to the editor.
OPS Policy Statement on Vaccinations
OPS
04/18/2019
The Oregon Pediatric Society supports the American Academy of Pediatrics statement that vaccines protect children's health and save lives. They prevent life-threatening diseases, including some forms of cancer. Vaccines have…
Gun Safety as a Public Health Issue
Ryan Hassan, MD
04/11/2019
OPS member Ryan Hassan, MD, addresses the politicized issue of gun safety and regulation as a public health issue.
Bend Physicians Address the School Board on Vaccines
OPS
04/09/2019
A group of 45 doctors and nurse practitioners from Bend, OR, submitted the following letter to the Bend-La Pine School Board, showing their support for elimination of non-medical exemptions…
Time to remove immunization exemptions
Emily Puterbaugh, MD
03/18/2019
OPS Member Emily Puterbaugh, MD, (Broadway Medical Clinic) shares her take on the recent measles crisis.
In Support of House Bill 3063
Brenna Lewis, MD & John Peoples, MD
03/08/2019
In this letter to the editor, OPS Members Brenna Lewis, MD, (Mosaic Medical) & John Peoples, MD, (Central Oregon Pediatric Associates) laud Cheri Helt’s sponsorship of House Bill 3063.
Vaccines Save Lives and Keep Children Safe
Alanna Braun, MD
03/01/2019
In her letter to the editor, OPS Member Alanna Braun, MD, (OHSU) explains how as a pediatrician, vaccines are one of the few things she recommends without hesitation.
Vote to Limit Immunization Exceptions is Vote for Children
Shaili Rajput, MD, MPH
02/28/2019
OPS Member Shaili Rajput, MD, MPH, Pediatrician (Kaiser Permanente) writes that House Bill 3063 would protect more children from treatable illness and would rely on well-established science.
What Will it Take to Tighten Vaccine Laws ? A Measles Outbreak Might Help
The Oregonian
02/22/2019
OPS Board Member Art Jaffe, MD, is interviewed in this article about vaccination legislation in Oregon and Washington.
In Opposition to SB 649: Patient Stories about Vaccine-Preventable Infections
Dawn Nolt, MD MPH
02/22/2019
With her knowledge and expertise in infection, outbreaks and public health, as well as her presence on the national stage regarding pediatric infectious diseases, Dr. Dawn Nolt speaks in opposition…
A Message to Parents from Oregon Pediatric Society Regarding the Recent Measles Outbreak
OPS
02/20/2019
The recent measles outbreak in Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon, has caused concern and uncertainty among parents of vaccinated and unvaccinated children. The Oregon Pediatric Society (OPS) encourages…
Immigration — Regaining Compassion in Our Policies and Actions
Lauren Herbert, MD
02/16/2019
In this opinion piece, OPS member Lauren Herbert, MD, shares a glimpse of detention centers and a plea for empathy in our immigration policies.
Immunization protects children and community
Lauren Herbert, MD
02/14/2019
OPS Member Lauren Herbert, MD, (PeaceHealth Medical Group) shares an opinion piece that draws from her experiences caring for children with vaccine preventable diseases.
OPS Responds to Oregon Gubernatorial Candidate Rep. Buehler’s Vaccine Opt-out Position
OPS
10/22/2018
Oregon Pediatric Society addresses Rep. Buehler about his October 2018 public statement in support of parental choice to opt out of immunizations.
Buehler’s Vaccine Stance Disappoints Pediatrician
John Peoples, MD, FAAP
10/18/2018
In this letter to the editor, OPS Member John Peoples, MD, urges Rep. Knute Buehler to reconsider his stance on vaccination exemptions and to act as an evidence-based resource.
Buehler Pushes Back on Critics Over Vaccinations
Register Guard
10/17/2018
Gubernatorial candidate Knute Buehler addresses criticism from medical organizations (including OPS) for comments he made about vaccinations at an October 2018 governer's debate.
Buehler Now Supports Nonmedical Vaccine Exemptions
OPB
10/16/2018
Knute Buehler drew attention when he announced that he supports Oregon parents’ rights to opt out of vaccinations for their children.
Joint Statement: Primary Care Physicians Unite Against Non-medical Vaccine Exemptions
OPS
10/15/2018
Statement from the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, Oregon Pediatric Society, and the Oregon Chapter, and American College of Physicians. Primary care physicians are united against non-medical vaccine exemptions. As…
Buehler Shifts with Vaccination Opt Out Position
The Daily Beast
10/15/2018
Knute Buehler was once known for removing non-medical exemptions from school vaccine requirements but now he says parents could opt out without a medical reason.
Medical Groups Ask Buehler to Retract Vaccine Stance
The Oregonian
10/15/2018
Three Oregon medical organizations, including OPS, say that they want gubernatorial nominee Knute Buehler to retract a statement he made last week regarding non-medical vaccine exemptions.
Voter’s Pamphlet: OPS & Public Health Organizations Endorse No on Measure 105
Oregonians United Against Profiling
08/20/2018
Public health professionals warn: Measure 105 could harm our health care system and increase emergency room visits. Throwing out Oregon’s anti-racial profiling law could harm the health of our communities…
TPS Termination for Salvadorans
Lauren Herbert, MD
01/15/2018
The Trump administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 200,000 Salvadorans living in the United States damages children, their families, and our communities. As a pediatrician working with immigrant…