Announcement

On September 3, 2025, Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, Florida’s surgeon general, announced plans to end all vaccine mandates in the state of Florida, including vaccination requirements set for schoolchildren. While earlier efforts in Florida have focused on banning COVID-19 vaccinations for children, this new effort will be the first in the country to stop requiring vaccinations for children enrolling and attending school. This decision follows a recent drop in Florida’s kindergarten vaccination rates to 88.7% in 2025, a 4.8% decrease from 93.5% in 2020. 

The Proposed Changes

Current guidelines in Florida for school and daycare require 7 vaccinations: Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis (DTaP), Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), Varicella (chickenpox), Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV15/20), and Hepatitis B (Hep B). The Florida’s Department of Health aims to first eliminate mandates for Varicella, Hib, Hep B, and pneumococcal vaccinations with plans to seek legislative approval to end vaccine mandates for polio, MMR, and DTaP.

The Role of Vaccines

Vaccinations have long provided protection for communities worldwide, accounting for over 150 million lives saved in the past 50 years according to recent research published in the Lancet. As a cornerstone in maintaining herd immunity, vaccinations are crucial in protecting vulnerable populations such as the elderly, immunocompromised, pregnant individuals, and children. By vaccinating a large portion of the population, diseases are less likely to spread to subsets of the population who may not be able to get vaccinated themselves. 

Potential Public Health Risks

Rolling back several decades of strong immunization policies could lead to a resurgence of preventable infections such as pneumonia, hepatitis B, and measles in patients of all ages. Elimination of these mandates poses undue risk of infection for common, but deadly diseases, especially in a state where one in five adults are over the age of 65. For example, Texas has seen measles infections in unvaccinated communities where over 750 people became infected. This policy change will also inject uncertainty for parents entrusting their children to schools and for future insurance coverage for vaccinations. In response to recent national policy changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aimed at weakening immunization recommendations, some states have formed alliances to issue evidence-based, public health guidance aligned with national medical associations. 

Call for Action

National APAMSA strongly condemns any attempt to undo decades of evidence-based vaccination mandates. As mentioned in our policy compendium, APAMSA remains focused on promoting vaccinations as a safe and effective way to prevent disease. We urge health care professionals including physicians and medical students, policymakers, parents, and other stakeholders to remain steadfast in protecting vaccine mandates through education and advocacy.

On July 3, 2025, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1 One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) along mostly party lines following the Senate’s amendments earlier this week. President Donald Trump signed the bill into law on July 4, 2025. Over the next decade, the bill will extend $2.9 trillion for tax breaks for the wealthy at the expense and detriment of children, families, and hard-working Americans. Billions of dollars will be funneled toward federal agencies for detaining immigrants, constructing walls along the southern border, and military weapons manufacturing. 

Rather than reducing barriers in accessing healthcare and ensuring food security for Americans, this bill will require Medicaid patients to pay up to $35 copays for medical services and institute additional work requirements to qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while simultaneously cutting funding for the SNAP by over $300 billion over the next decade. Rural communities and communities of color will be deeply affected by these cuts, severely limiting access to affordable care.

How will some of these changes affect you as medical students and physicians?

National APAMSA strongly condemns the signing of this cruel bill that primarily benefits the wealthy while leaving millions of Americans without healthcare or food on the table. As expressed in our previous Joint Statement with SNMA, LMSA, AMSA, SOMA, and MSDCI, we are deeply disappointed by these decisions that will harm patients and exacerbate the physician shortage. OBBB will have lasting repercussions on American health and well-being, further deepening inequities in healthcare and socioeconomic success. These provisions represent a stark disconnect between national leaders and public interests despite polls that indicate almost two-third of Americans view this bill unfavorably. We urge policymakers to rectify and reverse these changes and work with constituents to produce new legislation that will strengthen our nation and alleviate health disparities.

Take action:

1. Register to Vote: Exercise your privilege to vote and shape the future by electing officials that reflect your priorities. 
   1. The Medicaid cuts are not projected to be enacted until after the 2026 Midterms, which makes 2026 a crucial moment for voters to show their elected officials that voting against their constituents’ best interest will have consequences.
2. Become civic engagement advocates through Vot-ER’s Healthy Democracy Campaign
3. Please contact your members of Congress to express your opposition towards these policies. You can use 5 Calls to quickly locate your representatives’ numbers and be prepared with prompts that can help you discuss this particular bill and other issues at ease. 

The first day of June marks a month-long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community. Honoring the progress and the vibrance of this community has been especially important with escalating attacks on the LGBTQIA+ community’s rights. 

On June 18, 2025, the Trump Administration announced the termination of the 988 national suicide prevention hotline’s support for LGBTQIA+ callers beginning July 17, 2025. Through providers like the Trevor Project, the 988 Lifeline has served almost 1.3 million youth since the launch of the program in September 2022. Soon, calls/texts will be routed to general crisis centers without LGBTQIA+ specialization. The shutdown of this hotline will have an enormous impact, considering that 1.8 million LGBTQIA+ young people consider suicide every year and are four times more likely to commit suicide than their peers. 

On the same day, transgender rights were also seriously curtailed by the new Supreme Court ruling United States v. Skrmetti, in which they upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender affirming care for transgender youth. This decision has wide-ranging implications: it maintains similar bans on gender affirming care across 25 states, which range from prohibiting providers from administering hormones or puberty blockers to prohibiting gender-affirming care surgeries. Although some states have enacted policies to shield patients receiving and/or providers practicing gender affirming care from civil or criminal charges, over 100,000 transgender youth living outside these areas will still face significant barriers to care. 

National APAMSA condemns these egregious and cruel decisions against the LGBTQIA+ community, who are already a vulnerable and marginalized population. As we approach the end of this month of celebration, this community faces even greater challenges that infringe on the right to exist and to thrive as their authentic self. Guided by our policy compendium, we stand firm in the belief that all patients, including but not limited to those based on their age, color, sex, gender, and sexual orientation, deserve equitable, evidence-based care. We call on medical professionals and trainees to continue advocating for sexual and gender minorities, and implore local, state, and federal leaders to promote health equity and fight inequities affecting the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Please contact your members of Congress to express your opposition against these efforts that degrade and inflict pain on LGBTQIA+ youth. You can use 5 Calls to quickly locate your representatives’ numbers and be prepared with prompts that can help you discuss this particular bill and other issues at ease. 

Sign the petition to voice your concern about the end of the LGBTQ Youth 988 Hotline: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/protect-988-suicide-and-crisis-lifeline-for-lgbtq-youth/ 

LGBTQIA+ Care Is Under Attack.

Patients and professionals are at risk. These are recent federal actions as of June 27, 2025:

• Bans on gender-affirming care sweeping across our nation 
• Terminating crisis lifelines for LGBTQIA+ youth
• Pressuring providers into silence

Criminalizing Providers: H.R. 3492

Congress is advancing H.R. 3492, which would:

• Make it a federal crime to provide gender-affirming care to minors
• Penalize clinicians with up to 10 years in prison

This is not about safety. It’s about eroding medical autonomy and the duty of healthcare providers!

Take action now: action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-trans-care-now

The “Chilling Effect” Is Already Here

The phenomenon describes providers and institutions withdrawing from offering LGBTQIA+ care out of fear of legal, professional, or political consequences. 

Across the U.S., providers are:

• Asking to be removed from LGBTQIA+ directories
• Canceling trainings and support programs
• Backing away from DEI partnerships

Protect Your Patients and Yourself

Even in restrictive states, we urge providers to use your voice and position to support LGBTQIA+ patients further by:

• Documenting decisions clearly and legally
• Using encrypted, secure communication tools
• Sharing vetted provider referral lists confidentially
• Consulting with organizations like GLMA, ACLU, or Lambda Legal if in doubt

Ask your employers for clear legal guidance and know your rights.

Students: Don’t Be Discouraged

We are the next generation of providers.

• Keep learning about gender-affirming care best practices
• Seek out affirming preceptors or telehealth shadowing
• Use platforms and private peer networks to build experience
• Document and report any discriminatory practices during your training. You are protected.

How to Push Back as Providers (Legally + Ethically)

• Advocate for inclusive care policies and language
• Push for policy reviews on gender and identity
• Join or form affirming clinician coalitions locally and nationally
• Know how to refer patients to care in other states or via Telehealth

What Can You Still Do as Healthcare Professionals

Clinical Practice

• Affirm: Use patients’ names/pronouns. Document care transparently.
• Refer Safely: Maintain a trusted network of LGBTQIA+ providers (start with OutCare).
• Provide Access: Offer virtual mental health services where care is restricted.
• Trauma-Informed Approach: Acknowledge lived experiences. Normalize emotional responses to discrimination.

Education & Advocacy

• Train colleagues in LGBTQIA+ cultural competency (OutCare, GLMA offer free modules)
• Advocate within your institution for inclusive policies, even when statewide law is regressive
• Build cross-discipline alliances: social workers, nurses, legal counsel, DEI officers

Resources for LGBTQIA+ Youth & Their Support Circles

If you are LGBTQIA+ youth, parents, teachers, and/or allies, we stand with you.

Crisis Support & Hotlines

• The Trevor Project — 24/7 Crisis Support independent of 988.
  1-866-488-7386 | Text “START” to 678678
  thetrevorproject.org/get-help
• Trans Lifeline — Peer-run and confidential.
  1-877-565-8860
  translifeline.org
• LGBT National Help Center — Youth and senior talk lines.
  1-800-246-7743
  lgbthotline.org
• Love is Respect — National teen dating violence support including LGBTQIA+ relationships.

1-866-331-9474 | Text “LOVEIS” to 22522

loveisrespect.org

Support & Education for Families

• PFLAG Chapters
  pflag.org
• Q Chat Space – Peer-moderated online groups for LGBTQIA+ teen
  qchatspace.org

References

“We’re Not Going Anywhere: LGBTQ+ Health Equity Must Not Be Abandoned”

OutCare Health (2025). https://www.queerty.com/were-not-going-anywhere-lgbtq-health-equity-must-not-be-abandoned-20250605

“Trump Administration Orders Termination of National LGBTQ+ Youth Suicide Lifeline Effective July 17th”

The Trevor Project – 988 Shutdown Report. Published: June 18, 2025.

https://www.thetrevorproject.org/blog/trump-administration-orders-termination-of-national-lgbtq-youth-suicide-lifeline-effective-july-17th/

“Protect Trans Care Now: Tell Congress to Oppose the Criminalization of Gender-Affirming Care”

ACLU Action Page – H.R. 3492

https://action.aclu.org/send-message/protect-trans-care-now

“UC Berkeley experts react to U.S. Supreme Court ruling on medical care for trans minors”

UC Berkeley News. Published: June 18, 2025.

https://news.berkeley.edu/2025/06/18/uc-berkeley-experts-react-to-u-s-supreme-court-ruling-on-medical-care-for-trans-minors/

Fenway Health – The Fenway Institute

https://fenwayhealth.org/about/commitment-to-lgbts/

GLMA On-Demand CE/CME Access

https://www.glma.org/on-demand_ce_cme.php

Campaign for Southern Equality

https://southernequality.org/emergency-help/

Lambda Legal — State Specific Policies

https://lambdalegal.org/search/?keyword=webinar+&issue-area%5B%5D=21724&start-date=&end-date=&sort=desc

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was fatally shot in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was an innocent bystander participating in the “No Kings” protest—a nationwide day of defiance denouncing President Donald Trump’s authoritarian actions such as threatening freedom of the press and speech in universities to authorizing mass deportations without due process. Ah Loo was caught in the line of fire by a stray bullet when unsanctioned armed peacekeepers shot a nearby man who pulled out an AR-15 rifle during the protest. Ah Loo was taken to the hospital, where he eventually died. 

Ah Loo devoted his life to serving his family and the Utah Pacific Islander community. As a former Project Runway contestant and self-taught fashion designer from Samoa, he relentlessly advocated for Pacific Islander artists. His own designs challenged fashion norms by merging elements of modern design with traditional Pacific Islander attire, showcasing his heritage on a global stage. In his free time, Ah Loo voluntarily tailored and created clothing for people in need, often refusing payment for his work. 

We, at National APAMSA, are deeply saddened by the loss of Ah Loo and his powerful voice for representation and diversity in the fashion industry and Pacific Islander community. His loss is deeply felt not only by the Samoan and wider Pasifika communities, but also by anyone who believes in the power of creativity to inspire change. To Ah Loo’s family, his wife Laura and their two young children, and the community who are mourning him, we send our deepest condolences.

APAMSA reaffirms its stance denouncing gun violence as expressed in our policy compendium. The death of Ah Loo was senseless and avoidable, reflecting the devastating consequences of unchecked violence, open-carry policies, and failure to ensure protest safety. The presence of untrained, armed peacekeepers acting outside of official oversight directly contributed to this tragedy. This instance also raises questions about who has power, who is protected, and who is left vulnerable—even when their intentions are peaceful. We urge lawmakers, protest organizers, and community leaders to prioritize public safety. No one should have to fear for their life while standing for what they believe in. 

If you would like to support his family, please consider donating to the GoFundMe in honor of Arthur Folasa Ah Loo.

Following the Trump Administration’s plan to push for mass deportations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided multiple communities in the Los Angeles area on Friday June 6, 2025, detaining over 100 people. This action mirrors similar immigration arrests in cities across the nation such as San Diego and Chicago. Federal agents, often equipped with military gear and traveling in armored vehicles, have increasingly targeted workplaces and courtrooms to increase arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants in the United States. This surge in activity comes amid ongoing concerns about unsanitary conditions, inadequate health and medical treatment, and other rights violations at detention facilities. Since January 2025, further policy changes have eliminated protections for locations such as schools, hospitals, and places of worship from ICE activities. This has instilled fear in undocumented individuals, making them hesitant to access essential health services due to the risk of arrest and detention.

At National APAMSA, we are dismayed by these immigration sweeps, which directly threaten the health and safety of immigrants, a concern explicitly expressed in our policy compendium. These raids prioritize quotas set by the Trump Administration rather than ensure public safety, leading to overcrowding and an increased number of deaths in ICE facilities. A 2024 report by the American Immigration Council found no correlation between ICE operations and lower rates of violent crime despite the Trump Administration’s repeated claims that many immigrants are “committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans.” We have seen the rights of immigrants being violated, despite decades of legal precedent of equal protections afforded by the Constitution for all persons in the United States. Please help us stand up for the rights of immigrants and inform others about their fundamental protections 

Call to Action

• Speak with your Congressional representatives about your concern for the violation of immigrant rights. To find your Representative and Senators, please use the following website: https://www.congress.gov/contact-us 
• Inform all community members of their rights and about available resources. Please see below for a list of resources.

Resources: 

ACLU – Know Your Rights

Immigrant Defense Project – Know Your Rights infographics and fact sheets (also available in multiple languages) 

Stop AAPI Hate – Community Resources

Immigrant Legal Resource Center – Red Cards to place in cars and at home

Email Script to Congress

Subject: Urgent: Oppose ICE Raids and Military Violence Against Protesters

Dear [Representative/Senator Last Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am a constituent living in [Your ZIP Code]. I am writing with deep concern about the Trump administration’s cruel and inhumane immigration enforcement and violent suppression of peaceful protests.

I urge you to take a firm stand against ICE raids in Los Angeles and throughout the U.S. These raids do not just target undocumented immigrants — they also intimidate and harm documented immigrants. Families are being separated, children traumatized, and entire communities pushed into fear and silence.

Undocumented immigrants are the backbone of our country. They do the labor that many Americans are unwilling to do, often under brutal and hazardous conditions. From working in fields under extreme heat and air pollution, to dangerous construction sites and underregulated factories, these workers sustain critical industries — with little or no workplace protection.

Despite these conditions, undocumented immigrants pay over $37.3 billion in state and local taxes every year, including $8.5 billion in California alone. They are our neighbors, colleagues, and essential contributors to our country.

And yet, the Trump administration responded with cruelty — targeting not just those undocumented, but also documented immigrants with new restrictions, denials, and deportations.

To make matters worse, this administration has used the National Guard and military force against peaceful protesters, weaponizing power against people who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. Peaceful dissent is a hallmark of American democracy — not a threat to be met with tear gas and rubber bullets.

I urge you to:

• Publicly condemn ICE raids and the targeting of immigrant families.
• Oppose any militarization of protest response.
• Support legislation that protects immigrant communities and ensures humane treatment.
• Defend our right to protest without fear of violence or retaliation.

Please act now to protect our communities and uphold justice.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Call Script: 

Hi, my name is [Your Name], and I’m a constituent calling from [Your City, ZIP Code].

I’m calling to express my deep concern about the Trump administration’s cruel and aggressive immigration enforcement and the violent use of military force against peaceful protesters.

I urge [Representative/Senator’s Last Name] to:

• Publicly condemn ICE raids, especially those happening in Los Angeles and across the country. These raids tear families apart and push entire communities into fear — including many documented immigrants.
  
• Oppose the militarization of protest responses. Peaceful protest is a constitutional right — not something to be met with tear gas or rubber bullets.
  
• Support legislation that protects immigrant communities and ensures they are treated with dignity and humanity.

Undocumented immigrants are the backbone of essential industries in our country. They work in harsh and dangerous conditions that many others won’t — often without protections — yet still contribute over $37 billion in state and local taxes.

We need leaders who will protect communities, not terrorize them. Please tell [Representative/Senator’s Last Name] to stand up for human rights and democracy.

Thank you.