NEW POLL: Americans Trust Scientists and Doctors More Than RFK Jr. and Federal Health Agencies

March 5, 2026

*(Philadelphia, PA) *— As trust in Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his health agencies sharply drop, Americans’ confidence in their own doctor, nurses, and health care provider remains high, according to a new poll by the University of Pennsylvania.

“Americans don’t trust our public health agencies because of RFK Jr.,”** said Shaughnessy Naughton, President of 314 Action. “This poll reinforces that doctors, scientists, and health care professionals continue to hold the highest level of trust, as trust in federal health agencies decline under RFK Jr.’s leadership. From cherry-picking data, to citing fake studies and replacing career scientists with wellness influencers, RFK Jr. has shattered confidence in America’s world-renowned public health organizations. While it will take years to rebuild trust and confidence, the best thing Americans can do right now is elect pro-science candidates who will stand up to Trump and RFK Jr. This is our moment—the midterms are shaping up to be the health care election and 314 Action candidates are uniquely positioned to win.”Washington Post: *A new poll shows who Americans trust over the CDCLena H. Sun*03/05/26

Americans express greater confidence in federal career scientists and independent medical groups than in the political leaders running U.S. health agencies, and they are more likely to accept vaccine recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics than from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a University of Pennsylvania survey.

Americans’ confidence in their own doctor, nurse or other primary health care provider in providing trustworthy information about public health remains the highest of all, (86 percent) more than any other group, including U.S. agencies, their career scientists and the major professional health organizations.

The survey reveals a substantial difference between how Americans view career scientists at the federal health agencies versus the leaders of those agencies, all of which are overseen by Kennedy, the founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group.

Two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) express confidence in career scientists at the CDC, NIH and FDA, with 33 percent saying they were not confident. By contrast, confidence in the leaders of those same agencies was much lower – 43 percent of Americans are confident in the agency leaders, compared with 57 percent who say they are not confident in them, the survey found.

At the same time, Americans say they have greater confidence in major professional health associations to provide more trustworthy public health information than the federal health agencies.