Who Is Dr. Joseph Ladapo? Florida's New Surgeon General Has Controversial Stances On Vaccines, Masks

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday named Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a medical professor who has expressed skepticism of vaccines, mask mandates and lockdowns as ways to fight the pandemic, the state's new surgeon general.

DeSantis, a Republican running for re-election in 2022, has staked out a hard-line position against COVID-19 restrictions. He praised Ladapo as someone with a “superb background” and “superb intellect” who “will bring great leadership” to Florida’s public health efforts.

Ladapo opened his press conference with a fiery pledge that echoed the rhetoric of a governor who has been dismissive of global and national efforts to contain the pandemic.

“Florida will completely reject fear as a way of making policies in public health. So, we're done with fear,” Ladapo said. "That's been something that's been, unfortunately, a centerpiece of health policy in the United States ever since the beginning of the pandemic and it's over here. Expiration date. It's done."

The comments drew national attention and immediately led to questions about Ladapo's credentials.

Ladapo graduated from Wake Forest University in North Carolina before earning a Ph.D. His medical degree is from Harvard University, according to one biography from the University of California Los Angeles, where he previously worked as a researcher. He has also listed experience working at New York University as a faculty member, a staff fellow at the Food and Drug Administration, and a residency at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston.

Florida's new surgeon general has publicly rejected health measures implemented to fight COVID-19. Much like DeSantis, Ladapo is dismissive about the effectiveness of mask mandates.

His skepticism also extends to the push to get more Americans vaccinated as protection against the virus.

“There is nothing special about them compared to any other preventive measure,” Ladapo said about vaccines in his first press conference.

He criticized vaccination advocates for treating it "like a religion" and insisted that Florida would support measures to promote "good health" instead that include weight loss, exercise and eating fruits and vegetables. He has also supported controversial and disproven therapies such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.

The COVID-19 vaccines have been proven to seriously reduce the chances of contracting the virus as well as lower the risk of a life-threatening infection. While the Delta variant has been raging across the country, the vaccines available are still considered a strong defense against becoming seriously ill from the virus.

Ladapo is not trained in either epidemiology or virology but instead comes from a background as a cardiovascular specialist. He has written extensively on the response to COVID-19 since March 2020.

Throughout the pandemic, Ladapo has voiced his view that hysteria was taking the lead from science in guiding public health decisions. In April, he wrote an opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal that warned against what he called "Covid mania." The piece lambasted the "zealous pursuit of public mask wearing" and said that lockdowns "increase deaths overall" but are still seen as an "acceptable solution."

This position has been adopted by opponents of COVID-19 lockdowns, but it has been met with skepticism from experts in the medical community.

Ladapo is also a signatory of what is called the "Great Barrington Declaration." It criticized national health policies and pushes for an end to restrictions on those at the least risk of infection so that they may be allowed to “resume a normal life.”

The FDA has cautioned against the use of hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for COVID-19. In an op-ed in October 2020, Ladapo advocated for it to be made more widely available to patients.

He also appeared in a video for America’s Frontline Doctors, a group that has touted the use of hydroxychloroquine and cast doubt on the public health advice from the federal government. Ladapo told USA Today in July 2020 that he appeared in their video because he felt "it’s critically important for us to have a discussion that includes different perspectives about our approach to COVID-19."

Ladapo still requires confirmation by the Florida Senate before he assumes the surgeon general position. DeSantis said that if confirmed, Ladapo would also be maintaining his part-time professor position at the University of Florida School of Medicine.