About seven in ten people still trust vaccine researchers, according to a new poll. The number is consistent with the confidence of other scientists
By Dan Vergano edited by Claire Cameron
Then medical student Shamis Fallah (RIGHT) prepares for a tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccination on August 11, 2010 in Vallejo, California.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Join our community of science lovers!
Americans trust vaccine scientists as much as they trust other scientists. a new American investigation revealsdespite declining vaccination rates and a proliferation of attacks on vaccines both in the wake of the COVID pandemic and the rise of figures such as Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a notorious vaccine skeptic.
Results come as Trump administration reportedly steps away attacks on vaccinesfollowing other polls which revealed broad voter support for vaccination.
According to the new poll conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, about seven in 10 people have “a moderate or greater degree” of confidence that vaccine scientists are acting in the public interest. Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC). The survey, which surveyed 1,650 people, asked: “To what extent, if at all, do you trust scientists working on vaccines to act in the best interests of the population?” people like you?” and found that 69 percent of participants reported high or moderate trust. This matches statistical data on trust in medical researchers and scientists in general and conforms to past confidence-building measures among scientists.
On supporting science journalism
If you enjoy this article, please consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribe. By purchasing a subscription, you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
“The public is well aware of the benefits of vaccination,” says Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the APPC. That should reassure public health experts, who are increasingly concerned that the United States’ decades of success in eliminating diseases such as polio and measles may have caused the public to ignore the benefits of vaccination, she said.
At the same time, under Kennedy’s leadershipthe U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has sought to limit vaccines, including several vaccines intended for children. Meanwhile, measles broke out in the United States, killing three people. people last yearwhile whooping cough, or whooping cough, has been associated with at least 16 deaths last year.
“I don’t think the survey results are surprising; [Kennedy] doesn’t represent the views of most people,” says Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Most people vaccinate their children because they want them to be safe, despite the loud voices.”
“We still have a lot of concerns” about increasing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially in communities where vaccination rates are low, Offit says.
More generally, there is a “misperception” that trust in science has eroded specifically since the pandemic, Jamieson says. Science remains among the most trusted American institutionsranking among military and firefighters for trust. Importantly, the new survey suggests that scientists need to be more aware that some people think science has unintended consequences and think scientists feel “superior” to others. Vaccine scientists performed slightly better than other researchers, but the discipline as a whole should pay attention to these comments, Jamieson says.
Editor’s Note (04/27/26): This story is under development and may be updated.
It’s time to defend science
If you enjoyed this article, I would like to ask for your support. Scientific American has been defending science and industry for 180 years, and we are currently experiencing perhaps the most critical moment in these two centuries of history.
I was a Scientific American subscriber since the age of 12, and it helped shape the way I see the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of respect for our vast and magnificent universe. I hope this is the case for you too.
If you subscribe to Scientific Americanyou help ensure our coverage centers on meaningful research and discoveries; that we have the resources to account for decisions that threaten laboratories across the United States; and that we support budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In exchange, you receive essential information, captivating podcastsbrilliant infographics, newsletters not to be missedunmissable videos, stimulating gamesand the best writings and reports from the scientific world. You can even give someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you will support us in this mission.