Independent candidate for Governor calls for informed consent, patient and parental rights, personal responsibility and greater transparency in healthcare decisions
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla., Sept. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Non-party affiliated candidate for Florida Governor Frank Russo today unveiled his Florida Medical Freedom Initiative, a policy framework designed to protect informed consent, strengthen individual and parental rights, and bring greater transparency and accountability to Florida’s healthcare system.
Russo said Floridians should be trusted to make their own medical decisions in consultation with their healthcare providers, while government should focus on providing accurate information, protecting public health and ensuring people have the facts they need to make informed choices.
“Government serves the people, not the other way around,” Russo said. “Floridians should be able to sit down with their doctors, understand the facts and make the healthcare decisions that are right for themselves and their families. Government has a responsibility to provide honest information and protect public health, but it should not replace the judgment of patients, parents and their healthcare providers.”
Under Russo’s Florida Medical Freedom Initiative, his administration would prioritize:
- Protecting informed consent – ensuring Floridians receive clear and understandable information before making medical decisions.
- Increasing government transparency – requiring state health agencies to clearly explain the evidence and reasoning as well as financial incentives behind major public health recommendations.
- Strengthening patient rights – ensuring access to medical records and protecting patient decision making with healthcare providers,
- Protecting parental rights – supporting appropriate opt-out provisions and stronger protections for parents making healthcare decisions involving their children.
- Promoting personal responsibility – emphasizing prevention, healthy choices and individualized healthcare decisions rather than one-size-fits-all government mandates.
“Medical freedom does not mean ignoring science or public health,” Russo said. “It means giving people the facts, being transparent about the evidence and trusting Floridians to make informed decisions. Leadership begins by listening, and that includes listening to patients, parents, doctors and communities, not government deciding it knows best.”
On Cannabis Policy: Transparency and Voter Choice
As part of his commitment to transparency, Russo also disclosed that he is personally registered in Florida for medical marijuana use.
Russo said candidates asking voters to trust them with the governorship should be willing to be open about their own experiences and apply the same standards of transparency to themselves that they expect from government.
On recreational marijuana, Russo pointed to Florida’s 2024 ballot initiative, which received nearly 57 percent of the vote, falling short of the 60 percent threshold required for passage.
“Floridians came within a few points of legalizing recreational marijuana,” Russo said. “That tells me millions of people want this discussion.”
Russo • Rodriguez 2026
The People’s Choice. The Caring Capitalists. Humanity Over the Dollar.
About Frank J. Russo:
Frank J. Russo is a lifelong Floridian, entrepreneur, insurance executive, real estate developer, and humanitarian with more than 40 years of business leadership, including over 30 years in the insurance industry. Based in New Smyrna Beach, Russo is running for Governor to restore affordability, strengthen Florida’s economy, and build a government focused on practical solutions that put Floridians first. For more information, or to volunteer or donate, visit Russo2026.com.
Media Contact
Mary Elkordy
Press@russo2026.org
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SOURCE Frank J. Russo for Governor
