Decline in Trust for Federal Health Agencies Among Americans
A recent report indicates that confidence in federal health agencies has decreased sharply among Americans since 2025. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in conjunction with the de Beaumont Foundation’s Public Health Listening Lab, plans to conduct a poll on Tuesday to further explore public opinion.
According to this new public opinion poll, trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dropped significantly, with only 50% of adults stating they trust health recommendations from federal agencies. This marks a notable decline from 77% in the spring of 2025, as noted by the CDC.
The CDC did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding this matter.
The survey revealed that most respondents, around 70%, still trust local health recommendations, while 66% trust state public health agencies. However, 55% of Americans expressed discontent with federal health agency actions taken over the past year. Furthermore, about 68% of participants felt that recommendations were overly influenced by the personal beliefs of agency leaders.
In addition, the poll found that 66% believe health care leaders prioritize the wrong issues, and 61% feel that healthcare programs are also misfocused. It’s a bit concerning, really—there seems to be a general sentiment that maybe things just aren’t lining up as they should be.
“Health information shouldn’t be twisted for political gain,” remarked Brian C. Castrucci, president and CEO of the De Beaumont Foundation, addressing the situation on The Hill. He expressed that if the CDC’s credibility was split along political lines, it would become increasingly difficult to tackle public health challenges effectively.
In another note, Dr. Erica Schwartz was nominated to lead the CDC, a move that sparked criticism from certain factions within the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.
The CDC has seen substantial staffing changes; Fortune magazine reported a downturn of about 3,000 employees since January 2025, due to layoffs, retirements, and resignations, which really raises questions about the agency’s future.
The interviews for this poll were conducted with a representative group of 2,205 U.S. adults aged 18 and older from March 19 to April 1, 2026, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.0 percentage points.
