ACR and Arthritis Foundation Urge Lawmakers in Florida to Protect Vaccine Access for Americans Living with Arthritis

ATLANTA – As the nation’s children head back to school, lawmakers should do all they can to protect the health of citizens — especially the most vulnerable — by supporting critical access to health care, including vaccinations.

Navigating a diagnosis like arthritis and autoimmune disease is difficult enough, and no child or parent should be restricted from accessing health care that can protect them from further complications. Lawmakers at every level of government should be focused on increasing access to health care, including vaccines, not limiting it. ”

As the leading organizations dedicated to improving the lives of those living with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Arthritis Foundation issue the following response to Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo’s announcement that the state will work to end all vaccine requirements — including school vaccine requirements:  

“The ACR and the Arthritis Foundation are committed to improving access to preventive health care, including vaccines, to protect more than 3.9 million Florida residents and nearly 60 million in the U.S. living with doctor-diagnosed arthritis, including hundreds of thousands are children living with a juvenile form of the disease.  Given this commitment, we wish to express our great concern regarding recent Florida and other state government proposals on vaccine access and the dangers this could have for people living with rheumatic disease.  

Those living with chronic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases like arthritis face higher risks of infection and death from viruses than the general population. Viral infections and resulting complications can be significantly reduced or even entirely prevented by vaccination. Immunizations, like those for measles, mumps and rubella, are critical for children and adults living with chronic conditions to prevent outbreaks that cause hospitalizations, severe illness and increased rates of death. These vulnerable populations also rely on herd immunity to ensure protection from preventable diseases, which is why broad population vaccination is so important.   

We strongly encourage state lawmakers to prioritize access to vaccines as a critical intervention to protect vulnerable populations, including children and adults living with arthritis. In the absence of scientifically based federal guidance on COVID-19 and flu vaccines for the 2025–2026 season, some states like Washington, Oregon and California have been forced to form their own public health alliance to make credible vaccine recommendations. While we applaud actions to ensure broad access to vaccines, vaccine recommendations should be led by the federal government to avoid confusion, patchwork state processes and delays in preventive care.

Navigating a diagnosis like arthritis and autoimmune disease is difficult enough, and no child or parent should be restricted from accessing health care that can protect them from further complications. Lawmakers at every level of government should be focused on increasing access to health care, including vaccines, not limiting it.”

Media Contact
Teri Arnold
tarnold@rheumatology.org
757-272-7002 (cell)

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About the American College of Rheumatology
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is an international medical society representing over 10,500 rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals with a mission to empower rheumatology professionals to excel in their specialty. In doing so, the ACR offers education, research, advocacy and practice management support to help its members continue their innovative work and provide quality patient care. Rheumatologists are experts in the diagnosis, management and treatment of more than 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases.