A year after changes to federal leadership in the U.S. public health system, a new poll finds that trust in public health agencies has dropped dramatically. Only 50% of U.S. adults say they trust health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), compared to 77% in spring 2025. The fraction who say they trust their state health department has declined from 80% to 66%, and the fraction who say they trust their local public health department has fallen from 82% to 70%.

A mere 12 percent of Americans say they trust the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations “a great deal”

A year after changes to federal leadership in the U.S. public health system, a new poll finds that trust in public health agencies has dropped dramatically. Only 50% of U.S.…