Three Oregon medical organizations said Monday they want Republican gubernatorial nominee Knute Buehler to retract a statement he made last week calling for parents to have more latitude to exempt their children from medical vaccines.

"As a physician I certainly believe in the benefits of vaccination, but I certainly believe that parents should have the right to opt out," the Bend legislator said in response to a prerecorded question from a voter during a televised debate. Buehler, an orthopedic surgeon, did not elaborate on why he believes that.

On Monday, leaders of the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians, the Oregon Pediatric Society, and the Oregon Chapter of the American College of Physicians called on Buehler to reverse his position. They noted the American Medical Association, like many other national medical organizations, accept the scientific consensus recommending a full slate of childhood vaccines.

"Studies show that 95 percent of the community needs to be vaccinated in order to achieve community immunity," said Carla McKelvey, a medical doctor and president of the Oregon Pediatric Society. "We urge Dr. Buehler to reconsider his position so that it is evidence-based and aligns with the medical and public health experts who develop vaccine-related recommendations and legislation."

On Monday, Buehler's campaign said he stands by his statement.

At Tuesday's debate, incumbent Gov. Kate Brown took the opposite position from Buehler, stating that "We probably give some parents a little too much leeway" to exempt their children from vaccine requirements.

Under Oregon law, parents can exempt their children from any or all vaccines as long as they first talk to a medical provider or watch an online video to learn how vaccination benefits individuals and communities.

The vaccine issue isn't a strictly partisan one. While most parents vaccinate their children, there are parents on both the right and the left of the political spectrum who are deeply skeptical that vaccines are safe and appropriate. Scientific studies show vaccines are safe, with rare exceptions, and are generally highly effective.

A 2017 federal study found Oregon had some of the lowest childhood vaccine rates in the country, although state officials called the findings misleading because of a small sample size surveyed for the report.

Update: This article has been updated with comment from the Buehler campaign.

-- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699