Vaccines have become an increasingly controversial public health topic, with some parents choosing not vaccinating their children against certain diseases due to widespread misinformation. Among the most widespread myths is that according to which measles, mumps and rubella vaccine causes autism in children and that COVID-19 vaccines have caused more deaths than the virus itself.
Many of these false claims are spread online by anti-vaccine influencers.
The latest Health Information and Trust Tracking Poll, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, an independent source of health policy research, examined these claims.
The poll, released Tuesday, looked at four common anti-vaccine myths: MMR vaccines cause autism in children; MMR vaccines are more dangerous than being infected with measles; more people have died from COVID-19 vaccines than from the virus itself; and mRNA vaccines can change your DNA.
A representative for the Kaiser Family Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The poll surveyed 2,480 U.S. adults and found that those who use social media for health information and advice at least once a week (26% of all adults) are more likely than those who never use social media for their health to say that every false vaccine claim is “probably” or “definitely true.”
The relationship between belief in vaccine myths and the use of social media or AI for health information.
KFF Health Information and Trust Monitoring Survey (May 7-31, 2026)The results were similar when the survey looked at people who relied on AI chatbots for health advice. The results showed that 35% of adults who use AI chatbots at least once a week for health advice believe myths about measles and mRNA vaccines, compared to 20% of non-chatbot users.
Although only a small percentage of adults believe the health myths shared by AI chatbots, these findings highlight broader concerns about trust in the U.S. healthcare system.
The survey found that people most likely to not fall for vaccine myths tend to have a reliable health care provider they trust. When asked if more people have died from COVID-19 vaccines than from the virus, 46% of adults who did not have a trusted health care provider said it was “probably” or “definitely true.” This is about double the proportion of people using a trusted healthcare provider (24%) who disagree with these statements.
People with a trusted provider are less likely than those without a trusted provider to endorse vaccine myths.
KFF Health Information and Trust Monitoring Survey (May 7-31, 2026)These numbers also extend to parents who skipped or delayed their children’s vaccinations. Parents who were against vaccinating their children were 25% more likely to say that vaccine myths were “definitely” or “probably true,” compared to parents who vaccinated their children.
The poll also analyzed the data collectively and showed that there is an opportunity to regain confidence in vaccines among those in the “malleable middle zone.” While some people were completely opposed to vaccines and others completely in favor, at least half of adults surveyed were unsure. The poll suggests that this is the group that should be targeted to combat vaccine hesitancy.
CNET previously reported that the spread of wellness misinformation online indicates a problem within our healthcare system. As access to primary care and diagnosis becomes more restricted and less affordable, many people are turning to social media or AI for free answers they can’t get elsewhere.
Some are attracted to information – even when it is false – from wellness influencers who appear to have the answers because they share relevant, professional-looking content. With gaps in access to healthcare and the increasing use of social media and AI chatbots, misinformation about vaccines can spread more easily among vulnerable populations.
