Latest news with #JosephLadapo
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Second measles case in South Florida this year confirmed in child
A child in Broward County was diagnosed with measles in April, making it the second confirmed case of the highly contagious disease in South Florida in 2025. The child, who is under the age of 4, contracted the airborne illness outside of the United States, according to the state's Florida Health Charts website. The chart does not provide additional information about the confirmed case. One other confirmed measles case has been reported in South Florida this year, in Miami-Dade County in March, the chart showed. No cases have been reported in Palm Beach County. The first confirmed case in Florida this year was in a student at Miami Palmetto Senior High School in Miami-Dade. More than a dozen measles outbreaks have been reported across the U.S. so far in 2025 and more than 1,000 cases have been confirmed across 31 states as of Thursday, the latest data available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows. Cases began to spike in the U.S. this February, and by the end of March, 116 cases were reported in one week, a high so far this year. Two-and-a-half decades ago, there were no cases of the viral disease spreading within the country and new cases were only detected when measles had been contracted abroad, meaning it was officially eliminated from the U.S., according to the CDC. But the U.S. is on track to surpass 1,000 measles cases in at least 30 jurisdictions this year, with Texas reporting the most at nearly 730 cases. The CDC's data shows Florida has reported between 1 and 9 cases but does not include localized information. Outbreaks can occur when measles enters communities where people are unvaccinated. The number of kindergartners in Florida who received all doses of vaccines required for school entry has declined in recent years, the CDC data shows. In the 2023-24 school year, just over 88% of kindergartners had received all doses of all vaccines required, below the 95% the CDC says ensures protection for most people in a community. The year prior, about 90% of kindergarteners had received all required vaccines. Broward County was the site of an outbreak in 2024, with nine out of the state's 10 confirmed cases. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo faced backlash from health experts and politicians after sharing a letter to parents of students at Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston, where seven of the nine cases had been reported, that said they could decide whether to keep their children out of school. Florida Department of Health surveillance data, which makes public the number of current cases of vaccine-preventable diseases by county, had been removed from the state website as of earlier this month and was last accessible in March, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported on May 9. A Florida Department of Health spokesperson did not respond to an email on Friday seeking information on the new reported case or about the chart's accessibility. The spokesperson told the Tallahassee Democrat on Friday that the chart website was not available recently because it was being upgraded. Sun Sentinel staff writer Cindy Goodman contributed to this report.
CNN
16-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Florida becomes second state in US to ban fluoride in public drinking water
Source: CNN Florida has become the second state in the nation to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water. On Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Farm Bill, which includes language banning the use of any additive in a public water system that does not meet the new definition of a 'water quality additive': a chemical or substance used in public water to specifically address drinking water standards, contaminants or quality. 'Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that's fine. But forcing it into the water supply is basically forced medication on people,' DeSantis said. 'They don't have a choice. You're taking that away from them.' More than 70% of Floridians who use community water systems receive fluoridated water, according to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who issued guidance in November recommending against community water fluoridation, citing its potential health effects. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that's found in soil, rocks and water to varying degrees. It is also a byproduct of fertilizer production. On the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, many cities have added fluoride to their treated drinking water for decades to help protect teeth from cavities. The CDC reiterated its faith in the health benefits of fluoride in 2015, naming water fluoridation one of the '10 Greatest Public Health Achievements of the 21st Century.' The ADA has also emphasized that 'eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.' However, research has showed that exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in children, and a federal review concluded that higher levels are linked with lower IQ in kids. US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to roll back CDC recommendations that fluoride be added to municipal drinking water and has promised that a panel of experts will review the guidelines and make new recommendations. Kennedy can't formally prevent communities from adding fluoride to their drinking water, but some states and cities have followed his lead. In March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. The US Food and Drug Administration also said this week it is starting the process to remove prescription fluoride tablets and drops from the market. They're typically prescribed for babies and children who are at high risk of tooth decay because they drink water that doesn't contain added fluoride. See Full Web Article
E&E News
16-05-2025
- Health
- E&E News
Florida becomes 2nd state to ban fluoride in public water supply
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Florida on Thursday officially became the second state in the country to ban fluoride from public drinking water, marking a significant win for Medical Freedom groups aligned with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Florida follows Utah, which became the first state to ban fluoride in drinking water in March. 'You should be able to talk to folks, your doctor, your friends, your family, whatever, on any of these issues, and then make an honest judgment about what you think is best for you and your family,' Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a Thursday news conference in Trilby. 'Forcing this in the water supply is trying to take that away from people who may want to make a different decision, rather than to have this in water.' Advertisement Libertarian-leaning Medical Freedom groups, which grew in popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, convinced a handful of local boards to stop adding fluoride to drinking water in recent years. But they received a significant boost from Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo after his formal recommendation against adding fluoride to public water supplies in November. Ladapo is a close ally of Kennedy, who has referred to fluoride as 'toxic waste,' and announced plans in April to ask the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop recommending fluoride in drinking water.
The Guardian
15-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Florida becomes second state to ban adding fluoride to drinking water
Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of Florida, on Thursday signed a bill making it the second state after Utah to ban adding fluoride, or any other additives, to drinking water. Legislators approved the bill last month that goes against the concerns of public health experts and medical professionals, who say the measure will increase tooth decay and cavities, especially in children. The law, however, aligns with the positions of two controversial senior figures, Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, and Florida's surgeon general Joseph Ladapo, that adding fluoride, a natural mineral, to drinking water affects children's intellectual abilities. 'As dentists, we see the direct consequences fluoride removal has on our patients and it's a real tragedy when policymakers' decisions hurt vulnerable kids and adults in the long term,' Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, said in a statement last month. The website of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meanwhile, still reflects that fluoride repairs and prevents damage to teeth and their protective enamel coating, as long as it is administered in consistent, low levels. In Israel, studies have shown that removing fluoride from drinking water supplies caused 'a significant increase in restorative dental treatments'. The bill signed by DeSantis on Thursday takes effect statewide on 1 July, and was touted by the governor as 'legislation to protect against forced medication'. It does not specifically mention fluoride, but 'the use of certain additives in a water system' is outlawed. 'Some of these people think they know better for you than you do for yourself. They think because they have medical training they should just be able to decree how we live our lives,' DeSantis said at an afternoon press conference in Dade City. He said fluoride was present in many toothpastes and mouthwashes: 'Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that's fine. But forcing it in the water supply is basically forced medication on people. They don't have a choice.' Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion According to the Florida department of health, about 100 public water systems across the state actively fluoridate their supplies of drinking water.
CNN
15-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
Florida becomes second state in US to ban fluoride in public drinking water
Water availabilityFacebookTweetLink Follow Florida has become the second state in the nation to ban the addition of fluoride to public drinking water. On Thursday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Florida Farm Bill, which includes language banning the use of any additive in a public water system that does not meet the new definition of a 'water quality additive': a chemical or substance used in public water to specifically address drinking water standards, contaminants or quality. 'Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that's fine. But forcing it into the water supply is basically forced medication on people,' DeSantis said. 'They don't have a choice. You're taking that away from them.' More than 70% of Floridians who use community water systems receive fluoridated water, according to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who issued guidance in November recommending against community water fluoridation, citing its potential health effects. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that's found in soil, rocks and water to varying degrees. It is also a byproduct of fertilizer production. On the recommendation of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, many cities have added fluoride to their treated drinking water for decades to help protect teeth from cavities. The CDC reiterated its faith in the health benefits of fluoride in 2015, naming water fluoridation one of the '10 Greatest Public Health Achievements of the 21st Century.' The ADA has also emphasized that 'eighty years of community water fluoridation at optimal levels has proven to be safe and effective at reducing tooth decay to improve oral health.' However, research has showed that exposure to fluoridated water during pregnancy is associated with increased neurobehavioral problems in children, and a federal review concluded that higher levels are linked with lower IQ in kids. US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to roll back CDC recommendations that fluoride be added to municipal drinking water and has promised that a panel of experts will review the guidelines and make new recommendations. Kennedy can't formally prevent communities from adding fluoride to their drinking water, but some states and cities have followed his lead. In March, Utah became the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water. The US Food and Drug Administration also said this week it is starting the process to remove prescription fluoride tablets and drops from the market. They're typically prescribed for babies and children who are at high risk of tooth decay because they drink water that doesn't contain added fluoride.
