Public belief within the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) stays close to its lowest level for the reason that begin of the COVID-19 pandemic, in keeping with a KFF Monitoring Ballot revealed right this moment.
“Six years in the past, 85% of People, and 90% of Republicans, trusted the CDC. Now lower than half belief the CDC on vaccines,” KFF President and CEO Drew Altman, PhD, stated in a information launch. “The wars over COVID, science, and vaccines have left the nation with out a trusted nationwide voice on vaccines, and that belief will take time to revive.”
The survey, carried out January 13 to twenty amongst 1,426 US adults (margin of error, plus or minus 3 proportion factors), comes amid ongoing restructuring of federal well being companies and vaccine advisory panels, turnover amongst CDC management, and broad revisions to federal vaccine coverage made within the absence of supporting proof.
In January, underneath the management of US Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC started recommending childhood immunizations in opposition to 11 relatively than 17 ailments, transferring the influenza, COVID, and hepatitis B vaccines from being universally really helpful to a shared medical decision-making framework. Beneath that framework, vaccination is decided by way of dialogue with a supplier relatively than suggested for all youngsters. The transfer has positioned the USA as an outlier amongst peer nations.
Belief in CDC drops, particularly amongst Democrats
Within the present ballot, lower than half of adults (47%) say they’ve a “nice deal” or “truthful quantity” of belief within the CDC to offer dependable vaccine info. Belief amongst Democrats has fallen 9 proportion factors since September 2025 (from 64% to 55%), which is down considerably from 88% in September 2023. Amongst Republicans, belief within the CDC as a supply of dependable vaccine info is 43%; amongst independents, it’s 46%. These figures are largely unchanged from September 2025.
Confidence within the CDC’s revised childhood vaccine schedule is equally low.
Most adults (56%) say they’ve “little” to “no confidence” in federal well being companies to make suggestions for childhood vaccines, with three in 10 respondents (29%) saying they haven’t any confidence “in any respect.”
Insecurity in federal well being steering isn’t restricted to childhood vaccines. Lower than half of US adults (46%) have a minimum of “some” confidence in federal well being companies’ capacity to ensure the security and effectiveness of vaccines accepted to be used in the USA. Solely 38% imagine federal well being companies make selections based mostly on science relatively than private beliefs, and simply 34% assume federal officers make selections with out interference from exterior pursuits.
Vaccine schedule modifications not rebuilding belief
About half of adults say they’ve heard “lots” (14%) or “some” (38%) in regards to the modifications to the childhood vaccine schedule. Amongst those that are conscious of the modifications, 54% say they are going to have a detrimental impression on youngsters’s well being, in contrast with 26% who say the impression will likely be optimistic.
Partisan divides are stark. Amongst Democrats who’ve heard in regards to the modifications, 83% say they are going to negatively have an effect on youngsters’s well being. Practically half of Republicans (47%) who’re conscious of the modifications say they are going to have a optimistic impression, whereas 23% say they are going to have a detrimental impression and 20% are uncertain.
Amongst these conscious of the modifications, 53% say the shift makes them much less trusting of federal well being companies, in contrast with 14% who say it will increase their belief. Kennedy has beforehand stated that the modifications to the childhood vaccine schedule would rebuild belief in public well being.
Majority disapprove of Kennedy’s efficiency
The ballot additionally finds that the majority People disapprove of Kennedy’s efficiency as HHS Secretary and his dealing with of US vaccine coverage. General, 55% disapprove of how Kennedy is dealing with his position, in contrast with 44% who say they approve.
On vaccine coverage particularly, 57% say they disapprove of the modifications. and 43% say they approve.
As soon as once more, views are sharply divided alongside partisan strains. Giant majorities of Democrats disapprove of Kennedy’s job efficiency and vaccine coverage dealing with, whereas most Republicans say they approve. Amongst supporters of the Make America Wholesome Once more (MAHA) motion, roughly seven in 10 approve of Kennedy’s total efficiency (72%) and his dealing with of vaccine coverage (69%).
Confidence varies by vaccine
Most adults stay assured in particular vaccines: 82% say they’re assured within the security of polio vaccines and 81% in measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, together with half who’re “very assured” in each vaccines.
Confidence is decrease for vaccines lately moved off the routine vaccine schedule, with 70% expressing confidence in hepatitis B vaccine security and 65% in flu vaccine security. Confidence is lowest for COVID vaccines: 48% say they’re assured of their security for youngsters, and 31% say they’re “by no means assured.”
The findings counsel that confidence in particular vaccines stays comparatively sturdy, whilst total belief in federal vaccine steering developments downward.
