(FLORIDA) — A top Florida pediatrician warned Thursday that the state’s plan to eliminate all vaccine mandates could lead to outbreaks of preventable diseases and put vulnerable populations at risk.
Dr. Lisa Gwynn, a former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Florida chapter, told ABC News that removing vaccine requirements for public school children could endanger not just students, but also “newborn infants, elderly populations, and people with compromised immune systems, including those undergoing chemotherapy.”
The warning came a day after Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced the state would become the first in the nation to remove all vaccine mandates, including those for common childhood diseases like polio, measles, chickenpox, and tetanus. Currently, all 50 states and Washington, D.C., require certain vaccinations for school attendance.
“It’s not just about parental choice,” Gwynn explained to ABC News. “When children are in close contact in classrooms, that’s a perfect storm for these types of diseases to spread.”
Gwynn argued that existing exemption policies already provide options for parents who oppose vaccination.
“There are other ways parents can achieve choice for their children,” she said. “As pediatricians, we work together with parents so they can make informed decisions.”
She also raised concerns about health equity, noting that removing mandates could create a “case of the haves and have-nots.” Children from under-resourced communities who lack access to regular medical care might enter school unvaccinated not by choice, but due to healthcare barriers, she explained.
School entry vaccination mandates are determined by each state. All states allow medical vaccine exemptions, and most states already have exemption policies in place for people with strong religious objections, in an effort to balance the need for public health with the ideal of individual freedom of choice. Some states allow exemption based on personal belief alone.
Florida’s decision to end vaccine mandates comes amid broader changes in national health policy. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared before the Senate Finance Committee Thursday to discuss the administration’s healthcare agenda, following recent shake-ups at both the FDA and CDC.
“These changes were absolutely necessary adjustments to restore the agency to its role as the world’s gold standard public health agency with the central mission of protecting Americans from infectious disease,” Kennedy said.
Ladapo defended the decision to end mandates on Wednesday, calling them “an immoral intrusion on people’s rights” during his announcement at Grace Christian School in Valrico, Florida.
Gwynn countered this view, pointing to decades of research supporting vaccination programs.
“Public health measures have saved millions of lives,” she told ABC News. “School vaccination requirements have been the best public health achievement of this century.”
A spokesperson for the Florida Surgeon General’s Office did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
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