Dr. Joseph Ladapo

The complaint claims that the state illegally changed rules regarding income eligibility thresholds for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program without having gone through the mandatory rule making process.

State officials said the action is being taken to prevent a shortfall of more than $120 million in the statewide prescription medication program for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS.

There were speakers for and against keeping mandates during public comment. Doctors say one shot that could become optional prevents Hib, a deadly form of meningitis that is already more common.

Before Hib vaccination, about 20,000 children younger than five developed severe Hib disease each year in the United States, and about 1,000 died.

The Board of Pharmacy cited a state law that allows pharmacists to administer FDA-approved vaccines. Publix and Walgreens said they would be offering the shot without a prescription to eligible recipients.

In a Sept. 7 interview on CNN’s "State of the Union," Ladapo told host Jake Tapper that his department didn’t study how ending the vaccine requirements could affect children’s health or future outbreaks.

U.S. House Democrats from Florida have signed a letter urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to reverse Florida’s plans to eliminate school vaccine mandates.

The governor announced the state would repeal all vaccine mandates last week.

On "The Florida Roundup," the president of the American College of Physicians said he believes the state not mandating vaccines for children will increase costs for health care.

Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said the state’s health department will end "every single" school vaccine mandate. Ladapo, who has a history of spreading inaccurate vaccine claims, equated the state’s vaccine requirements with slavery.

“The ripple effect of removing vaccine entry requirements would affect all of us, not just those with children in school,” said FCAAP President Rana Alissa.

The congresswoman's remarks came same day the state's top medical official announced plans to eliminate vaccine mandates.