Catherine Thomasson

What is the organization named Physicians for Social Responsibility?  It is an innovative group of health care providers and scientists who came together to bring to light health impacts of potentially life-threatening policies so as to alter them.  The first area of concern was atmospheric nuclear weapons testing.  The documentation of the presence of radioactive strontium-90 in children’s baby teeth was instrumental in creating the Atmospheric Test Ban Treaty in 1962. In the next two decades, PSR’s efforts to educate the public about the dangers of nuclear war grew into an international movement, creating the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 for building public awareness and pressure to end the nuclear arms race.

During the 1990's, PSR built on this record of achievement by helping to end new nuclear warhead production and win an international moratorium on explosive nuclear testing. While the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty has been negotiated and signed by the U.S. PSR has renewed hope and ambition to ratify this treaty and move toward nuclear weapons abolition. PSR also addresses the public health and environmental legacy of nuclear weapons production and testing including, in the Northwest, cleanup of the largest superfund site in North America: Hanford Nuclear Reservation. 

PSR has expanded its issue focus to toxins and climate change as it fulfills its mission:  Guided by the values and expertise of medicine and public health to protect human life from the gravest threats to health and survival.” PSR was instrumental in the signing and ratification of the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP’s) Treaty which bans the 12 most concerning toxins worldwide. In Oregon, we educate and advocate for removal of toxins both within the health care setting (mercury, PVC, dioxins) and in consumers products (polybrominated flame retardants and pesticides).  Ultimately the goal is to reform the chemical regulatory system. 

Likewise, Oregon PSR has developed a Campaign for Safe Foods which is very successful in removing artificial hormones from the production of our milk and developing policy to control drugs grown in crops in our fields and other genetically modified organisms.

PSR believes that climate change is the biggest public health concern of our time. We are experiencing more heat waves, drought and extreme weather events.  As a result, disease-carrying insects have spread geographically, breeding in higher numbers and there are more episodes of contamination of our clean drinking water.  Burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of climate change and also creates the majority of our air pollution, both resulting in epidemics of asthma and increased deaths due to heart and lung disease exacerbations which must be addressed personally, locally and federally.

As evidence mounted of these ensuing dangers, Dr. Thomasson has stepped forward to lead the work at PSR.  She has embarked on the education of health professionals and the public and to create mechanisms to change public policy.  Her commitment demonstrates her strong belief in the possibility for change. 

Born when there were far fewer women physicians, Catherine knew early she wanted to become a physician, seeing in that profession a role that would enable her to help others especially those in need.  She and her brother were the first in the family to attend college, and she graduated from Wayne State University with her medical degree in 1983.  Looking ahead, she pursued public health administrative studies at the University of Michigan at the same time.  She came to Oregon Health Sciences University for Internal Medicine Residency and received their Humanism Award in 1986.

Dr. Thomasson followed her love of teaching to become an Assistant Medical Director at Providence Hospital’s Internal Medicine Residency.  She had a son during this time and engaged in juggling family and work; including biking her son to daycare, a familiar story for professional women.  She received the Mission Service Award recognizing her community service. 

In 1998, Dr. Thomasson joined the staff of the Student Health Center at Portland State University.  Working half time allowed her to become more involved in community affairs and she learned about non-profit activism by serving on the Board of the Oregon Health Action Campaign and preserving our forests and water through work with Oregon Wild. 

In 2000, Dr. Thomasson joined the Oregon PSR board and was elected President.  Here she found a home to utilize her new non-profit skills and her voice as a physician, to educate and advocate for public policy change.  She helped increase the size and activities of the Oregon chapter with a growth of 300%, educating on the Health Effects of War and peaceful alternatives and working within the hospital systems to phase out mercury. 

During her time as national president, she strived to develop PSR chapter strength and integrate it with the national organization providing support through countless conference calls and crossing the country to give talks and workshops. She went abroad as a peace diplomat to Iran and coordinated an Iranian physician tour to the United States.  She has been a national speaker on the health effects of climate change and works locally with educational institutions and policy makers to address the issue. 

While carrying on these activities she manages to continue her practice, launch her son into university life and like many heroines in midlife, cares for her mother.

Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility nominates board member, President and honored volunteer for over a decade Catherine Thomasson, MD for the Walk of the Heroines.