Lead: On 4 September 2025, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced plans to remove vaccine mandates across the state — including those affecting children — saying the rules violate patient autonomy and promising to rescind “every last one of them.”
Key takeaways
- Joseph Ladapo is Florida’s surgeon general, appointed in September 2021; he trained at Harvard (MD and PhD).
- He announced intent to eliminate vaccine mandates statewide, drawing immediate criticism from public health groups.
- Ladapo has issued analyses and notices that diverge from federal agencies such as the CDC and FDA.
- In 2022 he warned of an elevated cardiac-related risk for young men after COVID-19 vaccination; experts challenged the methods and conclusions.
- Some mandates can be revoked administratively by the state health department; others require legislative repeal.
- He was reported to be under consideration earlier this year for a national CDC leadership role but was not appointed.
Verified facts
Joseph Ladapo immigrated to the United States from Nigeria with his family at age five. He holds both a medical degree and a PhD in health policy from Harvard University. He is listed as a faculty member at the University of Florida and conducts research on cardiovascular risk and health disparities; local reporting has placed his combined state and university compensation at over $350,000 per year.
Ladapo was named Florida’s surgeon general in September 2021. In that role he leads the Florida Department of Health and is responsible for public-health messaging and many administrative actions affecting statewide health policy.
Since taking office he has repeatedly challenged federal guidance on COVID-19. In 2022 he issued a notice asserting an “abnormally high risk of cardiac-related death” among young men after COVID-19 vaccination; multiple outside experts and academic physicians criticized the analysis and the underlying evidence as methodologically weak or unpublished.
Investigations by outlets such as Politico reported that Ladapo amended a state study in ways that suggested higher cardiac risks than earlier versions. Those changes and their interpretation remain a focal point for scientific and policy criticism.
Earlier this year he appeared on shortlists discussed in national media for leadership at the Centers for Disease Control. A prior nominee withdrew and publicly endorsed Ladapo; however, the CDC leadership job ultimately went to another candidate (reported as Dr Susan Monarez), and Florida officials did not confirm any formal federal nomination of Ladapo.
Context & impact
Florida’s move to strip vaccine mandates comes amid a broader political push by some state leaders to limit public-health requirements. Governor Ron DeSantis has publicly urged the CDC to stop recommending COVID-19 shots for children and has called for restrictions on mandates for mRNA-based vaccines.
Public-health organizations warned of potential consequences. The American Academy of Pediatrics highlighted that high vaccination coverage reduces disease spread in schools and keeps children in class; the academy cautioned that removing requirements could increase illness and absenteeism, affecting families and local economies.
Legally and practically, the health department can rescind some administrative requirements, but statutes passed by the legislature would need to be changed to affect other mandates. That division sets the stage for regulatory action, court challenges and likely legislative debate.
Potential effects to watch
- Changes in school vaccination rates and subsequent disease incidence.
- Legal challenges over whether administrative revocations exceed statutory authority.
- Public confidence in state health guidance and uptake of recommended vaccines.
Official statements
“Revoking these requirements will strengthen the sovereignty of patients,” a state health department statement attributed to Surgeon General Ladapo said, adding that individuals should not be forced into medical treatments.
Florida Department of Health / Joseph Ladapo
Unconfirmed or contested claims
- Whether all vaccine requirements can be legally rescinded by administrative action alone — some experts say legislative action is required for statutory mandates.
- Reports that Ladapo was formally offered a federal CDC leadership position — media accounts indicate he was considered, but there was no confirmed federal appointment.
- Claims that data definitively prove a heightened cardiac-death risk in vaccinated young men — the analyses cited by Ladapo have been disputed by independent researchers and remain contested.
Bottom line
Joseph Ladapo is a medically trained, politically prominent figure whose policy choices reflect a skeptical approach to vaccine mandates. His recent move to remove requirements will likely trigger legal and political battles and renewed scrutiny of the scientific claims he has used to justify policy changes. Public-health experts say the debate will have real consequences for school safety, community immunity and public trust.