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3mo ago

Trust in U.S. Public Health Agencies Declines as RFK Jr. Faces Confirmation Hearings

A new poll highlights partisan divides on health agency trust and vaccine attitudes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. awaits Senate approval for HHS leadership.

A new poll shows that less than half of US adults trust President Donald Trump and his HHS nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to make the right recommendations on health issues.
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Data: KFF Health Tracking Poll; Chart: Axios Visuals

Overview

  • A KFF poll shows that trust in federal health agencies, including the CDC and FDA, has dropped significantly since mid-2023, with Republicans expressing the lowest trust levels.
  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, faces criticism for his vaccine skepticism, including promoting the debunked claim linking vaccines to autism.
  • Partisan divides are stark, with 84% of Republicans trusting Trump and Kennedy on health issues, compared to just over 40% of Democrats.
  • Support for childhood vaccines remains strong overall, but Republican parents are increasingly delaying or skipping vaccinations, with the rate doubling from 13% in 2023 to 26% in 2025.
  • The American Academy of Pediatrics has reaffirmed the importance of vaccines, emphasizing their role in protecting children’s health as Kennedy’s nomination raises concerns among public health experts.