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Shortly before Joseph Ladapo assumed the role of Florida’s surgeon general in 2022, the New Yorker published a satirical column welcoming him and highlighting his support for unconventional medical practices, such as the use of leeches in public health. While the article intended to tease the Harvard-educated physician for his unorthodox views, it shed light on his skepticism towards life-saving Covid shots, referring to them as the work of the devil.
Ladapo’s controversial medical views have once again come under scrutiny as an entirely preventable outbreak of measles spreads across Florida. Medical experts question whether quackery has become official health policy in the state. Amidst a highly contagious disease outbreak in a Broward county elementary school, Ladapo wrote to parents, assuring them that it was acceptable to send their unvaccinated children to school.
Dr. Robert Speth, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Nova Southeastern University, criticized Ladapo’s statements as more political than medical, emphasizing the negative impact on public health. Ladapo’s advice contradicted the official recommendation of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which calls for a 21-day quarantine period for individuals without a history of prior infection or immunization.
Ladapo’s maverick proclamations go beyond his stance on vaccines. He has also discouraged the use of mRNA Covid-19 boosters, based on easily disprovable conspiracy theories. Despite measles being eradicated in the US since 2000, its resurgence in Florida, coupled with Ladapo’s controversial statements, has led to a wave of criticism. The Orlando Sentinel titled an op-ed piece “Florida: Come for the Sunshine, Leave With the Measles,” while the Tampa Bay Times quipped, “Measles? So On-brand for Florida’s Descent Into the 1950s.”
The backlash prompted the Florida Department of Health to publish clarifying information, attempting to shift blame onto the media for “reporting false information and politicizing this outbreak.” However, Ladapo’s handling of the measles outbreak has further fueled objections from Democrats in Florida, who believe he is unfit for a position that pays him over $600,000 annually. They argue that his refusal to follow accepted scientific guidelines during this crisis highlights the need for level-headed individuals to lead