BRIEF: Vaccine Skepticism and Bird Flu Narratives, Implications for Public Trust

Public trust in government health institutions has significantly declined over the past few years, with partisan divides driving much of this skepticism. Recent polls show that trust in agencies like the CDC and FDA has fallen, while trust in individual doctors—historically the most trusted health information source—has also decreased.¹

These trends highlight a growing crisis in public confidence, particularly as misinformation continues to shape attitudes toward vaccines and public health measures.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Vaccine Hesitancy

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent Senate hearings have reignited debates over vaccine safety and efficacy. Kennedy, nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has a long history of raising doubts about vaccines. Despite framing his position as pro-safety, his rhetoric has fueled hesitancy among parents. Majorities, regardless of party, still support vaccine requirements in schools.

The latest data reveals that 17% of parents report delaying or skipping childhood vaccines, an increase from previous years, with Republican-leaning parents driving this trend.

Persistent myths, like the false claim that MMR vaccines cause autism, continue to play a significant role in shaping parental decisions.

• Parents who believe or are open to believing this myth are four times more likely to delay or skip vaccines for their children.

• The erosion of confidence in established vaccine science poses serious risks to public health and childhood immunization rates. We have three locations in the US with measles and one with whooping cough.²

Misinformation About Bird Flu Vaccines

As bird flu outbreaks raise concerns, misinformation about vaccine efforts spreads rapidly online. Misrepresented data about bird flu vaccines, such as claims of high mortality rates during clinical trials, has fueled skepticism. Narratives opposing mRNA-based vaccines and public health measures are gaining traction, with some users linking bird flu vaccines to perceived harms from COVID-19 vaccines.

Broader Implications of Health Misinformation

These trends reflect deeper psychological and systemic issues. Research shows that individuals motivated by a desire for power and influence are likelier to share false or misleading information online. This behavior amplifies misinformation, creating challenges for health communicators and policymakers.

Compounding the issue, fraudulent research papers have infiltrated repositories used to train AI models, including large language models. Such inaccuracies can perpetuate false claims, particularly in sensitive areas like vaccine safety. With AI tools increasingly used to disseminate health information, ensuring the accuracy of training datasets is critical to preventing further erosion of public trust.

Footnotes

1. The main source for this article is the January 30 report from KFF: Washington, Irving, and Hagere Yilma. 2025. “Skepticism About Vaccines and Response to Bird Flu — The Monitor.” KFF. January 30, 2025. https://www.kff.org/the-monitor/skepticism-about-vaccines-and-response-to-bird-flu/.

2. There are multiple vaccine-preventable outbreaks in the US right now.

   - 2025/01/21 • Two Counts of Measles Exposure Confirmed in Snohomish County • Snohomish County Health Department • The Snohomish County Health Department has confirmed at least two incidents of residents being exposed to measles following a confirmed case in an adult who traveled through Seattle-Tacoma International Airport while infectious.

   - 2025/01/30 • Houston Hit by Measles Outbreak as Texas Health Officials Warn Against • Hoodline • Houston has been hit with a minor measles outbreak, marking the return of the disease to Texas since two years ago, with health officials pointing fingers at declining vaccination rates as the culprit.

   - 2025/01/30 • DPH Confirms Measles Case in Metro Atlanta • Georgia Department of Public Health • The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed a measles case in an unvaccinated metro Atlanta resident.

   - 2025/01/30 • Health officials report a whooping cough outbreak involving Jenkins Middle School students • KRDO • Students and staff at Jenkins Middle School are facing a whooping cough outbreak following previous school disruptions due to structural concerns.