At its Annual Meeting in Bar Harbor last Saturday, the Maine Medical Association membership approved (by unanimous vote of those present) resolutions calling for action on plastic waste and decrying the current petition drive to overturn the recently passed Maine statute eliminating non-medical exemptions to existing vaccine requirements for school attendance and health care employment.

The resolutions are as follows:

(Plastic Waste):

Be it Resolved, that the Maine Medical Association will actively pursue efforts to reduce plastic waste in the state of Maine, beginning with an effort to enact legislation to eliminate the use of “single use plastic items” (to include plastic straws and utensils items typically sold for single use but exclude cooking utensils and other plastic items typically sold as multiple use) in retail establishments in the state.  

(Vaccines): 

Be it Resolved, that the Maine Medical Association strongly supports universal childhood immunizations except for cases in which there are valid medical reasons a person should not be immunized, and the Maine Medical Association decries the current campaign to place a referendum question on the ballot to establish non-medical exemptions to statutory and regulatory immunization requirements;

and Be it Further Resolved, that the Maine Medical Association will devote the necessary resources to educate members and the public about the benefits of vaccines and scientifically valid contraindications to vaccines, from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the MMA Board of Directors will have the final word on whether these resolutions become official policy of the MMA, no opposition is anticipated among members of the Board.

Dr. Graham presents the views of the Public Health Committee