Lead: On 3 September 2025 in Tampa, Florida’s surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, announced a plan to repeal all state childhood vaccine requirements — including shots for measles, mumps, chickenpox, polio and hepatitis — calling mandates “slavery” and saying families should make their own decisions; he gave no timeline for implementation.
Key takeaways
- Joseph Ladapo announced on 3 Sep 2025 that Florida will move to eliminate state school vaccine requirements for children.
- The stated targets include routine childhood vaccines such as MMR, varicella, polio and hepatitis series.
- Ladapo, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, framed mandates as a violation of personal and religious liberty.
- The department has not published a bill or legislative timeline; implementation would require action from lawmakers.
- Federal CDC data show routine childhood immunizations prevented hundreds of millions of illnesses and substantial costs between 1994 and 2023.
- Public-health experts warn that removing mandates could increase outbreak risk; legal and political challenges are likely.
Verified facts
Joseph Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general and a long-time vaccine skeptic, made the announcement at a press event in Tampa on 3 September 2025. He said his department will work with state lawmakers and the governor’s office to repeal existing state vaccine requirements for children enrolling in public schools.
Florida’s current school-entry immunization requirements cover multiple routine childhood vaccinations. State health department guidance lists the required series that students must complete to enroll in public schools.
A 2024 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report estimated that routine childhood vaccination in the United States prevented approximately 508 million cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations and 1.13 million deaths among children born between 1994 and 2023. The CDC also estimated direct program savings of about $540 billion and broader societal savings near $2.7 trillion.
Observers note Ladapo has previously drawn criticism from public-health advocates. Reporting has documented that he altered data in a 2022 study on COVID-19 vaccine risks to young men, a finding that generated controversy and criticism from scientific peers.
| Measure | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Cases prevented | ~508 million |
| Hospitalizations prevented | ~32 million |
| Deaths prevented | ~1.13 million |
Context & impact
All U.S. states have maintained some form of school-entry vaccine requirements since the 1980s, a policy widely credited with reducing the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases in school settings. Removing those requirements in a large state would be unprecedented in recent decades.
Public-health experts warn that easing or removing mandates can lower vaccine coverage and increase the risk of outbreaks of measles, polio or other diseases that spread in schools. Legal scholars expect any repeal effort to face legislative debate and likely litigation.
Political context: Ladapo was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis and has frequently criticized pandemic-era restrictions and vaccine policies. His announcement aligns with a broader political emphasis in Florida on individual choice in health matters.
Potential consequences include:
- Lower vaccination rates among schoolchildren if exemptions become easier to claim.
- Higher risk of localized or statewide outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Increased public-health expenditures and strain on clinical services during outbreaks.
Official statements
“Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,” Ladapo said of vaccine mandates, adding that individuals should decide what to put in their bodies.
Joseph Ladapo, Florida Surgeon General
Unconfirmed
- No formal bill or legislative text had been released publicly by 3 September 2025; the timing and legal approach for repeal remain unconfirmed.
- Claims about receiving the “blessing of God” and the moral framing reflect Ladapo’s public remarks but do not constitute legal or policy details.
- Any federal response or involvement has not been announced and remains speculative.
Bottom line
Florida’s announcement signals a potential major shift in state public-health policy with national implications. If enacted, repealing school vaccine requirements could lower coverage and raise outbreak risk; the change would require legislative action and likely face legal and political challenges.
Watch for legislative proposals, official rulemaking from the Florida Department of Health, and responses from public-health agencies in the coming weeks.