On Wednesday, the Florida Health Department published an official bulletin from state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo calling for a halt in the distribution and use of mRNA Covid boosters despite the broad, clear evidence that such vaccines are saving lives. Ladapo released the bulletin not only as cases surge and hospitalizations rise nationally, but also as Republicans prepare to participate in the Iowa caucuses. That’s not a coincidence.
Ladapo has joined DeSantis on the presidential campaign trail, hit the right-wing podcast circuit and irresponsibly promoted disproven conspiracy theories.
In the more than two years he’s been in the job, Ladapo has joined Gov. Ron DeSantis on the presidential campaign trail, hit the right-wing podcast circuit and irresponsibly promoted disproven conspiracy theories. This most recent statement against vaccines is driven by politics, not science.
With less than two weeks to go before Iowa voters help determine DeSantis’ future, his imploded campaign is sputtering out and has little hope of success. Ladapo’s statement is a sign that DeSantis’ flailing team is throwing every last idea at the wall to see what sticks.
It’s no surprise that public health experts are dismissing Ladapo’s guidance as nonsense with no scientific backing. After all, Wednesday’s bulletin is only the latest in a series of false, dangerous claims he’s made as the state’s top health official. He was investigated last year for scientific fraud after he was accused of manipulating and altering data around vaccine safety. Ladapo denied the claim. The inspector general for the state health department closed the investigation when the anonymous complainant didn’t respond to follow-up questions from the investigator’s office.
Ladapo’s widely debunked missives go against guidance from the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization and other…
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