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A new national survey finds public trust in the CDC and HHS is still struggling post-pandemic, while personal healthcare providers remain the most trusted source for health guidance. Only 54% of Americans trust the CDC, and just 13% trust the president for health information. Experts say medical professionals and organizations must step up to fill the credibility gap — especially on vaccines.
A nationally representative survey of 900 U.S. adults, presented at IDWeek 2026, confirms that public trust in federal health agencies remains fragile. While personal healthcare providers and professional medical organizations continue to be the most trusted voices, confidence in the CDC, HHS, and other federal entities has yet to recover from its post-pandemic decline.
Researchers from UT Southwestern have been tracking these trust trends for years. Their earlier work found a 26% drop in CDC confidence between February 2020 and June 2022. The new April 2026 survey shows that gap hasn't fully closed — and that confusion around recent changes to the federal childhood vaccine schedule may be compounding the problem.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: With vaccine uptake lagging and public confidence in federal agencies fragile, healthcare providers and medical organizations are uniquely positioned — and increasingly responsible — for delivering clear, consistent, evidence-based health guidance directly to patients.
