(2) When the State Health Officer of the Oregon Health Authority determines that there is clear evidence that adverse and avoidable health outcomes from a preventable and acute communicable disease are expected to affect identifiable categories of high-risk individuals throughout Oregon and that assistance with the administration of vaccine is warranted due to a vaccine shortage to protect or treat such individuals, the health officer shall implement the Oregon Vaccine Education and Prioritization Plan as provided in subsection (3) of this section.
(3) The authority shall develop and adopt by rule the Oregon Vaccine Education and Prioritization Plan to protect the public health during a vaccine shortage. The plan shall consist of:
(a) Guidelines for physicians, naturopathic physicians, nurses, hospitals, health systems, pharmacies and others that hold vaccines for the distribution and administration of vaccines. The guidelines shall include, but are not limited to, a definition of high-risk groups for priority protection or treatment in the event a vaccine shortage is imminent;
(b) Rules for imposing a civil penalty of $500 against persons who knowingly violate the guidelines for each repeat violation of the guidelines; and
(c) Procedures for:
(A) Mobilizing public and private health resources to assist in vaccine distribution and administration; and
(B) Notifying health professional regulatory boards and licensing authorities of repeated violations of the guidelines by health professionals regulated by the board or licensed by the licensing authority.
(4) If the Oregon Health Authority adopts temporary rules to implement subsection (2) of this section, the rules adopted are not subject to the requirements of ORS 183.335 (6)(a). The authority may amend the temporary rules adopted pursuant to subsection (3) of this section as often as is necessary to respond to a vaccine shortage. [2001 c.627 §2; 2007 c.445 §6c; 2009 c.595 §632; 2017 c.356 §62]