Joseph Ladapo Will Return to DeSantis Administration for Second Term as Surgeon General
TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Gov. Ron DeSantis, as he prepares for his second term as Florida governor, announced that Surgeon General Joseph A. Ladapo will remain in his position.
“Dr. Ladapo has done a great job as @FLSurgeonGen. His evidence-based principles serve as a counterweight to the increasingly political positions of the entrenched medical establishment, especially on schools, masks and mRNA shots,” DeSantis said. “Happy to announce he’ll return for our 2nd term!”
“Thanks for the love, Gov. It has been a privilege & pleasure to serve under your leadership. I have a feeling the best is yet to come,” Ladapo responded. “I look forward to continuing my service to the great people of Florida alongside my incredible team at @HealthyFla.”
DeSantis published a video compilation of notable moments from Ladapo’s experience as surgeon general.
“How can you force people to take a vaccine in order to stop transmission when that vaccine is not effective at stopping transmission?” he has said about COVID-19 vaccines. Ladapo is strongly opposed to vaccine mandates.
The compilation pivots to when Ladapo announced the Florida Department of Health being the first state to “officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children.”
The Department also recommended against men aged 18-39 from receiving mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, citing increased heart-related death risk. “Results from the stratified analysis for cardiac-related death following vaccination suggests mRNA vaccination may be driving the increased risk in males, especially among males aged 18 – 39,” a review cited by the Department said.
Ladapo was appointed to his post on Sep. 21, 2021, and went under intense scrutiny from Democrats in the legislature during hearings. He was later confirmed in February 2022.
The Florida Surgeon General has an extensive medical background, serving as a professor at the University of Florida College of Medicine before being appointed. He graduated from Harvard Medical School to receive his M.D. He received a Ph.D. in Health Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
“Dr. Ladapo comes to us by way of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA with a superb background. He has had both a remarkable academic and medical career with a strong emphasis in health policy research,” DeSantis said after appointing him. “Dr. Ladapo will bring great leadership to the Department of Health. I would also like to thank both Dr. Scott Rivkees and Dr. Shamarial Roberson for their hard work on behalf of all Floridians.”
“Dr. Ladapo has impeccable credentials and a strong vision to effectively serve the people of Florida at the helm of our public health agency. Through his service to our state, we will continue Florida’s work to advance our public health goals,” Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez said when Ladapo was appointed.
