Dr. Paul Thomas, a Beaverton pediatrician who caters to vaccine-skeptical parents, is embracing his role as a "vaccine choice" crusader.
He's lobbying against Oregon House Bill 3063, which would remove the nonmedical exemption to vaccines.
Thomas spoke on the steps of the Capitol on April 23, arguing the effects of a measles outbreak this winter were overblown. "The epidemic is completely done, and no one died," he said.
He again linked vaccines, including the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, to autism—a claim with no scientific backing.
He engaged in a call-and-response with a crowd protesting the bill. "Will you ignore what you know and go get all the vaccines?" he asked. "No!" the crowd replied.