AMA Strongly Opposes Florida's Plan to End All Vaccine Mandates
The American Medical Association (AMA) strongly opposes Florida’s unprecedented plan to eliminate all vaccine mandates, including school-entry requirements, warning it would reverse decades of public health achievements and expose children to preventable outbreaks of measles, mumps, polio, and chickenpox—leading to serious illness, disability, and death. Issued on September 3, 2025, in response to announcements by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, the statement highlights the risks to communities and urges immediate reconsideration to avert a surge in infectious diseases.
“The American Medical Association strongly opposes Florida’s plan to end all vaccine mandates, including those required for school attendance. This unprecedented rollback would undermine decades of public health progress and place children and communities at increased risk for diseases such as measles, mumps, polio, and chickenpox resulting in serious illness, disability, and even death. While there is still time, we urge Florida to reconsider this change to help prevent a rise of infectious disease outbreaks that put health and lives at risk.”
— Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, MD, Trustee, American Medical Association
Issued September 3, 2025
Background
This statement responds to Florida officials' announcement on September 3, 2025, to dismantle vaccine requirements for schools and other settings—framed as advancing parental choice but criticized for endangering public health. The AMA emphasizes mandates' proven role in eliminating outbreaks and protecting vulnerable populations.