As measles cases rise in Florida, a bill that makes it easier for parents to refuse common vaccines for their children by granting a personal belief exemption advanced in its second Senate committee on Tuesday.
Just 89% of the state's kindergarteners are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shots, according to the Florida Department of Health. That number has dipped below 80% in some counties, including Sarasota.
Measles is highly contagious, and 95% immunization of the population is recommended to prevent outbreaks.
Dozens of measles cases were reported this month at Ave Maria University in Collier County. Florida has reported a total of 92 cases this year through Feb. 14, compared with seven all of last year, according to the Department of Health.
"A lot of what we are experiencing today came from us giving choice to parents who wanted to have the option to immunize their children or not," said Sen. Barbara Sharief, D-Davie, who has a doctorate in nursing practice.
The bill would also allow ivermectin to be given without a prescription. Sharief pointed out that ivermectin, which is used to treat parasites, can interact negatively with some commonly prescribed antibiotics and other medications.
ALSO READ: Collier County sees uptick in measles cases as U.S. count nears 1,000 since year's start
The debate in the Senate Appropriations Committee was vigorous at times, with opponents questioning why the bill requires parents who "opt in" to vaccines to get medical information but not parents who opt their children out.
Sen. Ralph Masullo, R-Inverness, is a dermatologist and said he is pro-vaccine. He voted for the bill, this time, but said he would vote no at its final stop in the Senate unless changes are made.
"If we're going to have a mandate, which we do, and you're not changing that for our public schools, I believe that we need to be sure that we have the same information given to those individuals that want to opt out of a vaccine as they would to be able to opt into a vaccine," Masullo said.
"As far as ivermectin goes, I think it's a little bit of a red herring. I sort of wish it wasn't in your bill," he added. "I believe that you are sort of falling to peer pressure."
Ivermectin has been touted by some as a way to heal from COVID-19, but the Food and Drug Administration "has determined that currently available clinical trial data do not demonstrate that ivermectin is effective against COVID-19 in humans," the federal agency said on its website.
Proponents of the bill declined to directly answer many of the points brought up by critics.
"The bill is not a debate about the efficacy of vaccines but about empowering parents to make medical decisions that they believe are best for their children," said Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville, the bill's sponsor.
Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, said he was "somewhat in the middle" on the issue and voted for it, citing a loss of trust in the health care system.
"I remain unwavering in my support of parental choice and informed consent and conscientious objection, and for those reasons, I'll support this legislation today," Burgess said.
ALSO READ: Florida Senate committee backs bill with expanded vaccine exemptions
During public comment, some women said they or their children suffered irreversible damage after being vaccinated. Other moms talked of the need for broad vaccinations to protect children with cancer, or babies too young to be immunized.
"As a doctor on the front lines, I'm seeing less and less of my patients get vaccines they need," said Dr. Ron Saff, an allergist in Tallahassee, pointing to actions by Robert F. Kennedy, the Health and Human Services secretary, who has aligned with anti-vaccine groups.
"RFK Jr. may like this bill, but the Florida chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Florida Academy of Family Physicians oppose it," he said.
Two Republicans on the committee joined Democrats in opposing the bill, which passed the Senate appropriations committee 10-7, then moved to its final stop, in Rules.
A House companion bill has not moved forward.
Polls show broad support for immunizations across party lines in Florida and nationwide. Eight in 10 people said the MMR vaccine is "very safe," according to a recent KFF poll.
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