Florida families deserve a Board of Medicine that puts evidence-based care, patient safety, and professional integrity first.

Dr. John Littell has been appointed to serve on the Florida Board of Medicine — the body responsible for disciplining doctors, setting medical practice standards, and helping shape policies that affect millions of Floridians. The Board can determine how physicians practice, what standards they must follow, and how patients are protected.

During Senate testimony, Dr. Littell openly expressed strong opposition to abortion, hormonal birth control, and vaccine requirements. He has promoted claims about COVID-19 treatments and questioned widely accepted public health guidance. While every Floridian has a right to personal beliefs, members of the Board of Medicine must be trusted to evaluate cases neutrally, uphold established medical standards, and protect patient access to lawful care — regardless of personal ideology.

The Board will likely play a pivotal role in shaping and enforcing rules related to reproductive healthcare, vaccination policies, and medical treatment for young people. In a state as large and diverse as Florida, those decisions must be grounded in credible medical consensus and focused on patient well-being, not politics.

The Board of Medicine must reflect a commitment to evidence-based practice, fairness in disciplinary proceedings, and respect for the full spectrum of legal healthcare options available in Florida.

We urge the Florida Senate to reject the confirmation of Dr. John Littell and appoint a candidate who will prioritize medical integrity, public health, and patient rights.

Floridians deserve a medical board that unites us around safety, science, and the fundamental responsibility to do no harm.