Florida hears hours of comment on dropping four school vaccine rules
Florida health officials heard hours of public comment Thursday on a plan to stop requiring four vaccines for school and child care entry. Parents' rights activists praised the plan, while doctors warned it could put children at risk. Written comments are open until Oct. 19, and the rule is not yet final.
Florida moved one step closer Thursday to dropping four vaccines from its school entry list.
The Florida Department of Health held a public hearing in Lake Mary on a rule change that would end requirements for the hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines. The hearing is part of the rulemaking process and is not final adoption, the department said.
The room split sharply. Activists thanked Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo for standing up for parents' rights, and some asked him for selfies, WUSF reported. Doctors and parents of children with weak immune systems urged him to stop.
"Parents know their children best, and they should be the ultimate decision-makers about their children's health," Ladapo said in a department statement. He said the change would lead to a stronger public health system because parents would be more involved.
Dr. Sarah Nosal, board president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, disagreed. "These four vaccines were not selected because the evidence changed," she said. "They are still vital to protect children's health." A Tallahassee doctor told WTXL that vaccine-preventable diseases are on the rise and asked Ladapo to pull the plan.
The four shots are required by agency rule, not state law, so the department can drop them on its own. Vaccines for polio, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough are written into Florida law. Removing those would take a vote of the Legislature.
The department says parents could still choose the four shots for their children. Religious and medical exemptions stay in place. Last week the department dropped a separate plan to widen exemptions to include moral or ethical beliefs, WUSF reported.
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Ladapo announced a push to end all school vaccine mandates more than a year ago. No lawmaker filed a bill to do that in 2026.
People can send written comments to vaccinerule@flhealth.gov until Oct. 19 at 5 p.m.
What we know: The hearing is done, and written comments close Oct. 19.
What we don't: When the department will vote to adopt the rule or when it would take effect.
Where outlets agree WUSF and WTXL both report the plan would end school entry requirements for hepatitis B, chickenpox, Hib and pneumococcal vaccines, while shots required by state law stay.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.