Florida’s Proposed Changes to Immunization Requirements for Schools Threaten Cancer Patients and Survivors

Tallahassee, FL. – September 1, 2026- Today, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) submitted comments to the Florida Department of Health opposing Florida’s proposed revisions to Rule 64D-3.046, related to immunization requirements for school entry. 

The following statement can be attributed to Susan Harbin, Florida senior director of government relations for ACS CAN: 

“We are concerned with the proposed changes to vaccines required for school entry, including changes that appear to eliminate certain requirements in a way that strays from evidence-based childhood immunization schedules.   

“We urge the department to maintain immunization recommendations and requirements that are tied directly to guidelines produced through an evidence-based, scientifically independent process.    

“In addition, ACS CAN opposes the proposed change to Florida’s current religious exemption form to include exemptions based on a moral or ethical belief. There is evidence that non-medical exemptions negatively impact vaccination rates, and states that permit religious, philosophical or personal belief exemptions, or have a less rigorous process for non-medical exemptions, have seen a decrease in vaccination adherence. Nationwide, roughly 4 percent of kindergartners in the United States were given a nonmedical exemption for at least one vaccine during the 2025-26 school year, a nearly 18 percent jump from the previous year. 

“Many individuals in Florida, especially cancer patients, have weakened immune systems that make them more vulnerable to communicable illnesses. Some cannot be vaccinated, or vaccines may be less effective for them, particularly those with blood cancers or undergoing treatments like chemotherapy, long-term steroids, certain immunotherapies or stem cell and bone marrow transplants. This is why high community-level vaccination rates are critical. The more healthy Floridians are vaccinated, the better we can protect our loved ones, neighbors and community members who cannot be. 

“Vaccinations are an essential part of care for people with cancer and their families. ACS CAN advocates for science-based policies that improve access to vaccines that prevent and treat cancer as well as protect people living with cancer.  

“On behalf of cancer patients and survivors who call Florida their home, ACS CAN urges the Department of Health to reconsider and ultimately reject the proposed changes to the immunization requirements to enter schools, as they will reduce the number of children that are up-to-date on recommended vaccines, decrease community-level vaccination rates, put vulnerable populations at risk and contribute further to the current uptick in preventable illness.”