TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Today, First Lady Casey DeSantis hosted a roundtable alongside Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, joined by Florida mothers, to discuss parental empowerment, medical freedom, and the importance of transparency and informed consent in decisions affecting children’s health.
The conversation focused on the realities parents face every day when making decisions about food, health care, and medical choices for their children, and the need for trust, accurate information, and accountability across systems that directly impact families.
“Medical care should respect informed consent and parental choice,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “Moms from across the state have struggled to find pediatricians willing to care for their children because of vaccine status. Their stories reinforce why Florida must protect families from being excluded from care.”
Through the Healthy Florida First initiative, Florida has prioritized transparency, independent testing, and accountability in the food supply. Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) released infant formula testing results after analyzing 24 products sold online and in stores across the state, reviewing samples from seven major brands for heavy metals and pesticides. The testing identified elevated levels of certain heavy metals compared to health-based screening benchmarks, including mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and lead.
Building on that work, DOH tested 46 candy products from 10 companies for heavy metals. Arsenic was detected in 28 of the products tested, prompting further evaluation of potential exposure risks, particularly for children. The results discussed during today’s roundtable are intended to provide families with clear, accessible information and promote accountability for products widely consumed by Florida’s children.
“Florida parents have an absolute right to make informed medical decisions for their children without coercion, including the decision to receive or decline vaccines,” said State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo. ”It will always be unethical for pediatricians to deny care based on a parent’s vaccination preferences, because coercion undermines the principle of informed consent.”
The roundtable also addressed parental rights and medical freedom, emphasizing the importance of informed consent and access to accurate, complete information about medical decisions, including vaccines, without coercion or fear of losing access to care. Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, Florida has led the nation in rejecting one-size-fits-all mandates, defending parental rights, and prioritizing evidence-based decision-making while safeguarding individual choice.
Additionally, the First Lady emphasized that Healthy Florida First will continue to expand testing beyond infant formula and candy, reinforcing Florida’s commitment to empowering parents with facts and ensuring confidence in the safety and integrity of the food supply.
Full infant formula and candy testing results are available at ExposingFoodToxins.com.
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