{"id":686060,"date":"2025-08-19T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T12:30:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-08-19T11:58:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T15:58:33","slug":"the-problem-isnt-trust-in-vaccines-its-that-people-dont-know-who-to-trust","status":"publish","type":"from-drew-altman","link":"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/from-drew-altman\/the-problem-isnt-trust-in-vaccines-its-that-people-dont-know-who-to-trust\/","title":{"rendered":"The Problem Isn\u2019t Trust in Vaccines, It\u2019s That People Don\u2019t Know Who to Trust"},"content":{"rendered":"<div\n\tclass=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content--standard-layout wp-block-kff-shared-content\">\n\t\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content-main\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<h1 class=\"post-header__title\">The Problem Isn\u2019t Trust in Vaccines, It\u2019s That People Don\u2019t Know Who to Trust<\/h1>\n\n\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"post-header__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"post-header__meta-label\">\n\t\t\t\tAuthor:\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/person\/drew-altman\/\">Drew Altman<\/a> \t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"post-header__meta-label\">Published:<\/span>\n\t\t\t<date>Aug 19, 2025<\/date>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"post-header__social-sharing\">\n\t\t<button class=\"post-header__social-sharing__button print\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"16\" height=\"17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M4.348 2.5v3.391H2.783A.787.787 0 0 0 2 6.674v4.696c0 .429.353.782.783.782h1.565V14.5h7.304v-2.348h1.565c.43 0 .783-.353.783-.782V6.674a.787.787 0 0 0-.783-.783h-1.565V2.5H4.348Zm.522.522h6.26v2.87H4.87v-2.87ZM2.783 6.413h1.782a.26.26 0 0 0 .085 0h6.697a.26.26 0 0 0 .086 0h1.784c.148 0 .261.114.261.26v4.697c0 .147-.113.26-.26.26h-1.566V9.283H4.348v2.347H2.783a.257.257 0 0 1-.261-.26V6.674c0-.147.113-.261.26-.261Zm9.39.783a.522.522 0 1 0 0 1.043.522.522 0 0 0 0-1.043ZM4.87 9.804h6.26v2.043a.264.264 0 0 0 0 .086v2.045H4.87v-2.043a.261.261 0 0 0 0-.085V9.804Zm1.043.783a.262.262 0 0 0-.265.26.26.26 0 0 0 .265.262h4.174a.26.26 0 1 0 0-.522H5.913Zm0 1.043a.26.26 0 1 0 0 .522h3.13a.26.26 0 1 0 0-.522h-3.13Zm0 1.044a.26.26 0 1 0 0 .522h4.174a.262.262 0 0 0 .264-.261.26.26 0 0 0-.264-.261H5.913Z\" fill=\"#004B88\" stroke=\"#004B88\" stroke-width=\".5\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t\t\tPrint\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t<a href=\"mailto:?subject=The%20Problem%20Isn%E2%80%99t%20Trust%20in%20Vaccines%2C%20It%E2%80%99s%20That%20People%20Don%E2%80%99t%20Know%20Who%20to%20Trust&#038;body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kff.org%2Ffrom-drew-altman%2Fthe-problem-isnt-trust-in-vaccines-its-that-people-dont-know-who-to-trust%2F\" class=\"post-header__social-sharing__button\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"16\" height=\"17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M2.333 4.25h-.25v9.14h12.5V4.25H2.333Zm1.083 1.693-.353-.2V5.23h10.54v.513l-.353.2L8.333 8.73 3.416 5.943Zm-.353 6.467V6.884l.107.06 5.04 2.857.123.07.123-.07 5.04-2.857.107-.06v5.526H3.063Z\" fill=\"#004B88\" stroke=\"#004B88\" stroke-width=\".5\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<button class=\"post-header__social-sharing__button copy\">\n\t\t\t<svg width=\"16\" height=\"17\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M11.533 2.9c-.615 0-1.23.235-1.697.702L8.502 4.936a2.4 2.4 0 0 0-.575 2.46l.958-.958a1.32 1.32 0 0 1 .371-.748l1.334-1.333a1.331 1.331 0 0 1 1.886 0c.52.52.52 1.365 0 1.885l-1.334 1.333c-.21.21-.474.331-.748.372l-.958.958a2.393 2.393 0 0 0 2.46-.576l1.334-1.333a2.402 2.402 0 0 0 0-3.394 2.393 2.393 0 0 0-1.697-.702Zm-1.61 3.46a.533.533 0 0 0-.367.162l-3.2 3.2a.533.533 0 1 0 .754.754l3.2-3.2a.534.534 0 0 0-.387-.915ZM6.586 7.973a2.388 2.388 0 0 0-1.816.697l-1.334 1.333a2.403 2.403 0 0 0 0 3.394 2.393 2.393 0 0 0 1.697.702c.614 0 1.229-.234 1.697-.702l1.333-1.334a2.4 2.4 0 0 0 .576-2.46l-.959.958a1.32 1.32 0 0 1-.37.749l-1.334 1.333a1.334 1.334 0 0 1-1.886-1.885l1.334-1.334c.21-.21.474-.331.748-.372l.958-.957c-.21-.07-.426-.11-.644-.122Z\" fill=\"#004B88\"\/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t\t\t<span>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As you all know, vaccines are a hot issue again, and on the minds of everyone in the public health community after a shooter, apparently blaming his depression on Covid vaccines, sprayed hundreds of bullets at the CDC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Should people really figure out what\u2019s best for them, with their doctor? Or should they rely on scientific agencies like the CDC and FDA and top public health officials for their information about vaccines? Has public trust in the safety of vaccines really eroded significantly? Why do views of vaccines seem to divide so sharply along partisan lines like they were presidential candidates?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have been <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/coronavirus-covid-19\/dashboard\/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-dashboard\/#(mis)information\">tracking public attitudes<\/a> towards vaccines on a regular basis since the beginning of the Covid epidemic, including surveying the public again about them in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/medicaid\/poll-finding\/kff-health-tracking-poll-april-2025-publics-view-on-major-cuts-to-federal-health-agencies\/\">April<\/a>. These are some key take-home messages from our polling, along with my analysis:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Public confidence in the safety of vaccines for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) is highest at 83%, next highest for flu (74%), then falls off for Covid vaccines (56%), and drops to 32% for mRNA Covid vaccines.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">But that\u2019s NOT because people think mRNA vaccines are unsafe. Notably, just 16% think that. It\u2019s because 52% \u201cdon\u2019t know enough to say.\u201d Even 59% of MAGA supporters say that. That\u2019s likely why trust in safety is lowest for mRNA vaccines: the most controversy and possibly the most misinformation has been generated around them, leaving people unsure and confused.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">That\u2019s also a reason many people are not getting boosted. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/from-drew-altman\/countering-health-misinformation-by-the-numbers\/\">Uncertainty breeds inaction<\/a>. There are, of course, other reasons people don\u2019t get boosted. Many with lower risk factors just don\u2019t see Covid as that serious anymore.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">Much of this reflects the polarized debate we\u2019ve had about vaccines. There are stark differences between Democrats and Republicans on Covid vaccines: 87% of Democrats say they are safe, but just 30% of Republicans and 27% of MAGA supporters do. We have seen this gaping partisan divide on almost every question we have asked about vaccines since we launched our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/coronavirus-covid-19\/dashboard\/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-dashboard\/\">Vaccine Monitor in 2020<\/a>. It says a lot about our country and the state of our politics that party affiliation is such a strong predictor of views and behavior on vaccines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where do people go for answers? No longer to our federal scientific agencies, apparently. Just 14% of the public say they have a lot of confidence in federal government health agencies like the CDC and FDA to ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccines approved for use. That could be because Democrats don\u2019t trust the current administration (just 19% of Democrats say they have a lot of confidence in the CDC and FDA when it comes to vaccines), or because Republicans don\u2019t trust these agencies generally (just 13% of Republicans trust them a lot when it comes to vaccines). There are always some hard liners who never trust the government, but ideally the public is supposed to trust these agencies fully, not a little bit, or halfway. These days, partisans on both sides have their reasons not to trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People tell us they get a lot of information on social media. But, they also tell us they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-trust\/poll-finding\/kff-health-information-and-trust-tracking-poll-health-information-and-advice-on-social-media\/\">don\u2019t trust it<\/a>, adding to public uncertainty. It\u2019s one reason people always tell us they \u201cneed more information.\u201d Many have lost their traditional anchors on what is true, such as official government sources, experts, and the news media. They now rely on family and friends but know these are imperfect sources of scientific information. It\u2019s why everybody is \u201cdoing their own research.\u201d It may in some ways be a virtue, but it\u2019s also a fallback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People are bewildered by a supercharged and polarized debate about vaccines and no longer know where to turn for scientific information they can rely on. They may turn to their doctor, but most practicing physicians are not scientists or public health experts, and they have a lot on their plate in their practices every day. Their views are often driven by their own more limited patient experiences and often, by partisan affiliation too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sure, after the Provincetown outbreak in the summer of 2021, science and the country learned the hard way that the vaccine didn\u2019t provide iron-clad protection against infection, but it did, and does, protect against more severe disease and hospitalization. Overall, only a small share of the public think vaccines may not be safe. The vaccines are not the culprit\u2014we and the state of our politics and the distrust in science and our scientific institutions they breed are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/perspectives\/beyond-the-data\/\">View all of Drew\u2019s Beyond the Data Columns<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t<div class=\"post-footer\">\n\t<div class=\"post-footer__title\">More On<\/div>\n\t<div class=\"post-footer__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/topic\/covid-19\/\">\n\t\t\t\tCOVID-19\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/topic\/health-information-trust\/\">\n\t\t\t\tHealth Information and Trust\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/politics\/\">\n\t\t\t\tPolitics\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/social-media\/\">\n\t\t\t\tSocial Media\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/tag\/vaccines\/\">\n\t\t\t\tVaccines\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-content-sidebar\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content--green wp-block-kff-shared-related-content\">\n\t<h2 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__heading\">Related Content<\/h2>\n\t<div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/from-drew-altman\/countering-health-misinformation-by-the-numbers\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\tCountering Health Misinformation, By the Numbers\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/health-information-trust\/poll-finding\/kff-health-information-and-trust-tracking-poll-health-information-and-advice-on-social-media\/\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\tKFF Health Information and Trust Tracking Poll: Health Information and Advice on Social Media\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/coronavirus-covid-19\/dashboard\/kff-covid-19-vaccine-monitor-dashboard\/#(mis)information\" class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"wp-block-kff-shared-related-content__card-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\tKFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\t\t\t<\/section>\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a new \u201cBeyond the Data\u201d column, KFF\u2019s President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman analyzes years of KFF polling on vaccines in light of the current controversies about them. The real problem, he says, is not lack of public confidence in the safety of vaccines \u2014 few say they are unsafe \u2014 it\u2019s that polarization and misinformation have eroded confidence in what\u2019s true or not, and in scientific institutions people used to rely on for the facts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155412937,"featured_media":686066,"template":"","meta":{"exhibits":[],"authors":[{"type":"foundation","id":49507,"name":"","_id":"7dc0885f-27c9-41e4-87ea-1f94bf39fa60"}],"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_classifai_error":"","_classifai_text_to_speech_error":"","search_keywords":"10799, covid, coronavirus, covid-19","shortlink":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[579145028,579145376],"tags":[398,579145421,579145135],"partner":[],"content-types":[579145480],"program":[],"series":[579145466],"class_list":["post-686060","from-drew-altman","type-from-drew-altman","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-covid-19","category-health-information-trust","tag-politics","tag-social-media","tag-vaccines","content-types-from-drew-altman","series-beyond-the-data"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Problem Isn\u2019t Trust in Vaccines, It\u2019s That People Don\u2019t Know Who to Trust | KFF<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In a new \u201cBeyond the Data\u201d column, KFF\u2019s President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman analyzes years of KFF polling on vaccines in light of the current controversies about them. The real problem, he says, is not lack of public confidence in the safety of vaccines \u2014 few say they are unsafe \u2014 it\u2019s that polarization and misinformation have eroded confidence in what\u2019s true or not, and in scientific institutions people used to rely on for the facts.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kff.org\/from-drew-altman\/the-problem-isnt-trust-in-vaccines-its-that-people-dont-know-who-to-trust\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Problem Isn\u2019t Trust in Vaccines, It\u2019s That People Don\u2019t Know Who to Trust\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a new \u201cBeyond the Data\u201d column, KFF\u2019s President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman analyzes years of KFF polling on vaccines in light of the current controversies about them. 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