Confronting Health Misinformation Surrounding COVID-19 Vaccines in the State of Florida

COVID-19 vaccination is estimated to have averted more than 2.4 million deaths globally. In the United States (U.S.) alone, more than 120,000 deaths and 700,000 hospitalizations are reportedly estimated to have been prevented during the first six months of the vaccine campaign. Despite the overwhelming evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of vaccination, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy continues to pose a significant threat to public health. Notably, an unexpected source of vaccine misinformation has been the Surgeon General of the State of Florida, Dr. Joseph Ladapo. While both a tenured faculty member of the University of Florida, College of Medicine and the Surgeon General of Florida, Dr. Ladapo has delivered official Florida Department of Health statements regarding COVID-19 vaccines that run contrary to those of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While tenure is designed to protect those with contrarian views, we believe that the University has an ethical obligation to condemn misleading statements that put public health at risk. Herein, we explore the challenges of managing misinformation disseminated by someone who is simultaneously a tenured professor at a public, state-supported university, and a politically appointed public health official.