Contradicting experts, Fla. health chief advises seniors to avoid mRNA COVID-19 boosters

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- A Florida health official is raising alarms about the safety of the newest versions of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, advising against their use despite endorsements from federal health agencies and other medical experts.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, appointed to the post by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, "advises against the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines" for adults over 65, the most at-risk category, according to seasonal COVID-19 guidance issued by the Florida Department of Health on Thursday.

"Based on the high rate of global immunity and currently available data, the State Surgeon General advises against the use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines," the guidance states. "Any provider concerned about the health risks associated with COVID-19 for patients over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions should prioritize patient access to non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and treatment."

MRNA vaccines are a newer type of vaccine that work by introducing a piece of genetic material corresponding to a viral protein, thus prompting the patient's immune system to respond by producing antibodies, while non-mRNA vaccines work by introducing an actual weakened or dead bacteria or virus into the system.

The Novavax vaccine is the only non-mRNA updated COVID vaccine that has been available in the United States, while new versions of mRNA vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were approved for nationwide distribution by the Food and Drug Administration last month, with FDA officials saying they "meet the agency's rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality."

Nevertheless, Ladapo listed a series of "safety and efficacy concerns" with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for the group of residents most vulnerable to COVID, citing the risk of clinical myocarditis, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, and autoimmune diseases.

The Florida official also noted concerns that elevated levels of mRNA can pose health risks, as well as citing the potential of "DNA integration" affecting the "integrity of the human genome."

Lapado's advice runs counter to the positions of the FDA and many independent medical researchers who say studies have proven many times over that mRNA vaccines are vital and effective tools in controlling the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, and whose benefits far outweigh potential risks.

Critics in the medical world have previously taken DeSantis and his administration to task for stoking unfounded skepticism about vaccines for political gain.

Last year, the governor advised that people under the age of 65 skip the then-updated boosters.

"I will not stand by and let the FDA and [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] use healthy Floridians as guinea pigs for new booster shots," he said a year ago, according to the New York Times .

This year's Florida COVID-19 guidance from Ladapo also generated criticism.

"It's just such a dangerous game he plays," Dr. Paul Offit , a vaccine expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, told NBC News . "You only have a roughly 1,000 times greater likelihood of dying [from COVID-19] if you're over 65 than if you're under 18."

"The mRNA vaccines are remarkably safe," he added.