Florida Families for Vaccines forms as state considers immunization rollbacks

As Florida moves forward with rulemaking that could significantly alter long-standing childhood immunization requirements — and as lawmakers introduce legislation reshaping vaccine policy — parents, physicians, business leaders, and public health advocates have launched Florida Families for Vaccines, a new statewide coalition focused on preserving evidence-based vaccine protections.

The group’s launch comes as the Florida Department of Health considers changes affecting requirements for several childhood vaccines and reporting standards through Florida SHOTS, while lawmakers prepare for debate on House Bill 917, filed by Rep. Jeff Holcomb. The proposal would reshape how vaccination status is treated in health care and school settings.

Medical professionals warn that changes to Florida’s immunization framework could have far-reaching consequences for children, families, and communities statewide.

“As a pediatrician and President of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, I am deeply concerned about proposals to remove requirements for Hepatitis B, Varicella, Hib, and Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines that protect infants and children from severe, sometimes fatal infections,” said Rana Alissa, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics and board-certified pediatrician in Jacksonville. “These immunizations are cornerstones of public health. Weakening requirements, altering Florida SHOTS reporting, or broadening exemptions risks reversing decades of progress and invites outbreaks of preventable diseases.”

Physicians who practiced before widespread vaccination recall the devastating effects of once-common childhood illnesses.

“I vividly remember caring for children with Haemophilus influenzae infections before the Hib vaccine existed,” said Paul Robinson, M.D., F.A.A.P., an adolescent medicine physician in Tallahassee and past president of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Removing Hib from Florida’s vaccine requirements, or weakening record-keeping and exemption standards, is not just shortsighted — it’s dangerous. These diseases haven’t disappeared; they’re controlled because Florida maintains strong requirements and reliable reporting through Florida SHOTS.”

Parents say the issue transcends politics. A recent statewide poll by the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab found nearly two-thirds of Florida voters oppose eliminating childhood vaccine requirements, reflecting broad concern about weakening school health protections.

For some families, the debate is deeply personal.

“In 2009, my daughter Lawson went from a healthy, vibrant 18-year-old to fighting for her life in a matter of hours,” said Cathy Mayfield, a Tallahassee parent and founder of Run for Lawson, whose daughter died of meningitis. “We lost her within 36 hours — a loss no parent should ever endure. That is why vaccines matter. They prevent diseases that can steal our children without warning.”

Public health experts caution that weakening immunization standards could invite preventable outbreaks.

“As a pediatric infectious disease physician, I cared for children before the varicella vaccine and saw ‘simple chickenpox’ turn into pneumonia, encephalitis, and needless hospitalizations,” said Dr. Nectar Aintablian, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Tallahassee. “Vaccines work so well we forget the suffering they prevent. Florida’s long-standing requirements, paired with tools like Florida SHOTS, are what keep these protections strong.”

Support for maintaining vaccine protections extends beyond the medical community. Business leaders note that stable immunization policies underpin workforce reliability and economic growth.

“When preventable diseases spread, the ripple effects hit families, employers, and local businesses alike,” said Julio Fuentes, President and CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Florida Families for Vaccines aims to provide parents and community members with a unified voice as the policy debate unfolds.

“As Florida considers changes to its vaccine rules, I hope we maintain the consistent, evidence-based protections that have served families well,” said Northe Saunders, President of American Families for Vaccines. “That’s why we launched Florida Families for Vaccines — to give parents and community members a trusted place to engage and speak up.”

Meanwhile, HB 917, which does not yet have a Senate companion, would add vaccination status to Florida’s Patients’ Bill of Rights, limit providers’ ability to deny care based on vaccination status, expand parental opt-out options for school requirements, impose new consent and disclosure standards before vaccinating minors, and allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a prescription. If approved, the bill would take effect July 1.

As rulemaking proceeds and lawmakers convene for the 2026 Legislative Session, Florida Families for Vaccines plans to engage parents, health professionals, and community leaders statewide through public comment and advocacy.

The group’s launch underscores a central reality of the months ahead: decisions made in Tallahassee will shape Florida’s public health, schools, and families for years to come.