CDC Trust & Vaccine Confidence Plummets After Schedule Changes: KFF Poll

Public trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reached its lowest point since the COVID-19 pandemic, coinciding with changes to the federally recommended childhood vaccine schedule implemented by the Trump administration. A recent KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust reveals a significant decline in confidence in U.S. Federal health agencies’ ability to provide reliable vaccine information.

Declining Trust in the CDC

Currently, fewer than half of Americans – 47% – report having a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the CDC for vaccine information. This represents a 10-percentage-point decrease since the beginning of President Trump’s second term. The erosion of trust began during the COVID-19 pandemic and has continued to worsen. Notably, trust among Democrats has fallen by nine percentage points since September 2025, from 64% to 55%. While Republicans (43%) and Independents (46%) exhibit similarly low levels of trust, these figures have remained relatively stable over the past year.

The poll also highlights a broader lack of confidence in federal health agencies like the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). More than half of adults (56%) express “little” to “no confidence” in these agencies to make recommendations about childhood vaccine schedules, with 29% having “no confidence at all.” Only 44% express confidence in U.S. Federal health agencies to make recommendations about the childhood vaccine schedule.

Impact of Vaccine Schedule Changes

Approximately half of U.S. Adults, and a similar proportion of parents, are aware of the recent changes to the recommended childhood vaccine schedule. Among those aware of the changes, a majority (54%) believe the changes will have a negative impact on children’s health, while only 26% anticipate a positive impact. This perception is sharply divided along partisan lines.

A substantial 83% of Democrats who are aware of the changes believe they will negatively affect children’s health, representing 63% of all Democrats. Conversely, 47% of Republicans who are aware of the changes believe they will have a positive impact, accounting for 34% of all Republicans. A smaller, but still notable, 23% of Republicans aware of the changes anticipate a negative impact, and 20% remain unsure.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Stated that the changes were intended to “rebuild trust in public health,” however, the poll data suggest the opposite effect. Among those who have heard about the changes, 53% say the changes make them less trusting of federal health agencies, while only 14% report increased trust. One-third (33%) say the changes have no impact on their trust.

Confidence in Vaccine Safety

Despite the overall decline in trust in federal health agencies, confidence in the safety of specific vaccines for children varies. High levels of confidence remain for longstanding childhood vaccines like the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine (82% confident in safety) and the polio vaccine (81% confident in safety). These vaccines continue to be universally recommended.

Confidence is somewhat lower for vaccines that have recently shifted from routine recommendations to shared clinical decision-making, including hepatitis B (70% confident) and the flu vaccine (65% confident). However, confidence in the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine for children is significantly lower, with only 48% of adults expressing confidence, and just 25% being “very confident.”

Partisan divisions are particularly pronounced regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. While 80% of Democrats express confidence in its safety for children, only 28% of Republicans share that view. Similarly, MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) supporters exhibit lower confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine (31%) compared to the polio (78%) and MMR (77%) vaccines.

Kennedy’s Approval and the MAHA Movement

The KFF poll also assessed public opinion of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s performance as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary. Currently, 55% of adults disapprove of his job performance, while 44% approve. Views on his handling of U.S. Vaccine policy are similarly divided, with 57% disapproving and 43% approving. These opinions are strongly polarized along party lines, with Democrats largely disapproving and Republicans largely approving.

Among supporters of the MAHA movement, however, approval ratings for Kennedy are high, with 72% approving of his overall job performance and 69% approving of his handling of vaccine policy. Approximately 45% of U.S. Adults identify as supporters of the MAHA movement, largely comprised of Republicans and supporters of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.

Looking Ahead

The KFF poll data paints a concerning picture of declining public trust in the CDC and other federal health agencies, particularly in the wake of changes to the childhood vaccine schedule. The partisan divides in perceptions of vaccine safety and the impact of these changes underscore the challenges facing public health officials in rebuilding confidence and ensuring continued vaccine uptake. The data suggest that the changes, rather than rebuilding trust as intended, have further eroded it, leaving a significant portion of the population skeptical of federal guidance on vaccination.