Florida Surgeon General Wrong on Vaccines and Bad at his Job, CDC and FDA Say

Amid growing rumors of a 2024 presidential bid, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has reversed his stance on life-saving COVID vaccines and hand-picked surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, who has hewed closely to the governor's anti-vaccine rhetoric and health misinformation. Ladapo has touted a dubious analysis that claimed mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are linked to an increased risk of cardiac-related deaths in males ages 18 to 39. The analysis was widely panned by scientists and health experts, who called it "utter rubbish," "extremely misleading," and "comically bad." In a four-page letter dated March 10, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky easily debunk his inaccuracies, falsehoods, and bluster, while taking the opportunity to point out that he is failing the people of Florida in his role as a public health official. Read more from Arstechnica here.