Florida‘s Surgeon General, Joseph Ladapo, has announced plans to end all state vaccine mandates, including those required for children to attend schools, drawing criticism from public health experts and Democratic lawmakers.
Ladapo likened vaccine mandates to “slavery,” stating, “Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery.” He emphasized individual freedom, saying, “who am I as a government or anyone else, or who am I as a man standing here now to tell you what to do with your body?”
Ladapo’s stance has sparked a national debate on vaccine mandates and public health.
Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, backed Ladapo’s plan and announced the creation of a state-level “Make America Healthy Again” commission.
This commission would focus on promoting medical freedom, informed consent, and parental rights in medical decisions.
DeSantis stated that Florida wants to “stay ahead of the curve” and eliminate “medical orthodoxy that is not supported by the data”. The commission will be chaired by Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins and Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis.
Critics warn that scrapping vaccine mandates could lead to outbreaks of preventable diseases.
Democratic state Representative Anna Eskamani called the plan “reckless and dangerous,” predicting a “public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State.” Florida’s vaccine mandates currently include shots for measles, chickenpox, hepatitis B, and polio for child daycare facilities and public schools.
In response to the Trump administration’s policies, Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon, and California have formed the West Coast Health Alliance.
This partnership aims to safeguard health policies by coordinating immunization plans based on recommendations from national medical organizations.
The alliance will make joint recommendations on vaccine distribution, potentially diverging from federal guidance.
The US Department of Health and Human Services emphasized that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices remains the scientific body guiding immunization recommendations.
A spokesperson stated that policy decisions will be based on “rigorous evidence and Gold Standard Science, not the failed politics of the pandemic”.
The debate over vaccine mandates reflects a broader national discussion on public health, individual freedom, and the role of government.
As the Trump administration continues to shape health policies, states are responding with their own initiatives, highlighting the complex interplay between federal and state powers in public health governance.