Florida is on course to become the first state in America to abolish vaccine mandates entirely, in what Governor Ron DeSantis is calling a revolution in health policy.

At an event near Tampa, state health director Dr. Joseph Ladapo declared that vaccine requirements represent “contempt for citizens and a form of slavery,” a statement that drew applause and set the tone for the dramatic plan.

The proposal overturns a decades-old public health consensus.

Currently, every U.S. state requires some vaccinations for school entry, with most offering personal or religious exemptions.

Erasing mandates altogether would make Florida an outlier and likely spark sharp confrontation with federal health agencies already unsettled by recent upheaval.

Ladapo, appointed in 2021, has drawn controversy before.

He allowed unvaccinated children to attend school during a measles outbreak and was previously criticized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for promoting misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines.

DeSantis, who rose to national prominence during the pandemic by opposing restrictions, is continuing his combative stance against federal health authorities.

Alongside the repeal effort, DeSantis announced a new vaccine policy committee to be chaired by his wife, Casey DeSantis.

The committee will align with the approach of U.S. Health Secretary Robert F.

Kennedy Jr., known for his skepticism of vaccines.

“We have already done more than any other state,” DeSantis said, “but we intend to keep moving a step ahead.”

Supporters praised the move as a victory for freedom of choice, while critics warned it risks exposing children and communities to preventable diseases.

National vaccination rates among schoolchildren have been slipping in recent years, while exemption requests climb.

Experts caution that the trend could bring back outbreaks of illnesses once nearly eradicated, with Florida’s policy shift accelerating the decline in immunization.

The announcement comes amid sweeping federal changes.

Kennedy recently dismissed CDC Director Dr. Susan Monarez, installed advisors skeptical of vaccination, and created a special review committee that includes MIT researcher Dr. Retsef Levi, a vocal critic of pandemic vaccination policy.

That panel is expected to deliver recommendations later this month, potentially strengthening state-level moves like Florida’s.

Meanwhile, demands are growing in Congress and other states to broaden exemptions, intensifying the national clash over vaccines and the balance between federal science and state power.