VALRICO, Fla. — Florida is poised to become the first state in the nation to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including long-standing requirements for schoolchildren, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced Wednesday alongside Gov. Ron DeSantis.
For decades, Florida has required children attending school to receive vaccines against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox, hepatitis B and other preventable diseases. Those mandates could soon be eliminated under the DeSantis administration’s plan.
Ladapo, who has repeatedly challenged mainstream public health guidance, compared vaccine mandates to “slavery” during the news conference. “There are a handful, maybe a half a dozen vaccines that are mandated. So those are going to be gone for sure,” he said. “We need to end it. It’s the right thing to do.”
“Who am I to tell you what you should put in your body?” Ladapo said. “What you put into your body is because of your relationship with your body and God. The government does not have that right.”
DeSantis confirmed that while some rules can be repealed by his administration, others will require legislative action. “We are committed to giving parents the final say on health decisions for their children,” the governor said.
The announcement drew immediate condemnation from public health experts. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and leading vaccine advocate, warned that repealing the mandates will leave children vulnerable. “We can expect that measles will come roaring back. Other infectious diseases will follow. This is an unprecedented move that will only put our children at unnecessary risk,” he said.
Vaccines have saved at least 154 million lives worldwide over the past 50 years, according to the World Health Organization, with the vast majority of those lives saved being infants. All 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia currently require certain vaccinations for children to attend public schools, though exemptions vary.
Ladapo, appointed in 2021, has previously called for halting the use of mRNA coronavirus vaccines, citing claims that have been widely debunked, and urged communities to stop adding fluoride to drinking water. His latest move marks his most significant departure yet from public health precedent.
The Florida Department of Health said changes to state rules would begin immediately, while legislative proposals are expected in the upcoming session.
