The "Health Care Medical Freedom Act" seeks to amend Florida health care laws by introducing new definitions related to treatment while explicitly excluding vaccinations from these definitions. The bill prohibits discrimination against patients based on their vaccination status and mandates that health care practitioners inform parents or guardians about the risks and alternatives to vaccines before administration. It also allows parents to exempt their children from vaccinations based on personal beliefs and requires the Department of Health to provide an exemption form online.
Additionally, the bill permits pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a prescription under specific conditions and grants them immunity from civil and criminal liability when acting in good faith. It revises disciplinary grounds for health care practitioners to include non-compliance with the vaccination status discrimination prohibition. The legislation emphasizes patient rights, ensuring informed consent and the ability to refuse treatment without facing discrimination. The provisions regarding parental objections to immunizations are clarified, allowing objections based on religious beliefs or personal conscience, with the act set to take effect on July 1, 2026.