Public Trust in CDC Falls to Record Low of 26%

The federal agency faces historically low favorability ratings as Americans reevaluate their confidence in health leadership.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in COVID-19

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a heavy stone plinth in a vast, empty plaza, symbolizing a shift in institutional trust. — Public trust in the CDC has fallen to a record low of 26 percent, as Americans reevaluate their confidence in federal health leadership. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you still trust the CDC to provide reliable and accurate public health guidance?

Public opinion of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reached a record low, with only 26 percent of Americans rating the agency's performance as excellent or good. This reflects a sharp decline in public trust for the organization, which has been at the center of political debate over the last six years.

Why it matters

The drop in confidence follows major overhauls to agency leadership and narrowed vaccine recommendations by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This shift highlights how significantly public perception of health authorities has changed since 2019, when 64 percent of Americans viewed the agency favorably.

A recent poll found that 26 percent of Americans now rate the CDC as excellent or good, compared to 40 percent in 2021 and 64 percent in 2019. Meanwhile, 44 percent of respondents currently describe the agency's performance as poor, with ratings dropping across party lines.

The players

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The federal agency responsible for tracking disease outbreaks and providing national public health guidance.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The Health Secretary who directed recent changes to agency leadership and vaccine recommendation protocols.

Food and Drug Administration

The federal agency responsible for evaluating the safety and efficacy of medical products and food safety.

The details

The agency's decline in favorability comes amid significant structural changes, including an overhaul of leadership and adjustments to routine vaccine recommendations implemented by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. These developments follow six years of intensified political conflict surrounding the organization. By comparison, other federal institutions maintained higher marks, with NASA receiving a 53 percent positive rating and the U.S. Postal Service at 58 percent.

In 2019, 64 percent of Americans rated the CDC positively.
By 2021, positive ratings for the agency fell to 40 percent.
In October 2026, public favorability of the CDC reached a record low of 26 percent.

Health Landscape

This decline marks a significant departure from the 2019 public trust baseline, when a majority of Americans held favorable views of the agency. The current polling reflects an ongoing trend of diminishing institutional trust during a period of extensive policy shifts at the federal level.

While these ratings reflect broad political and social sentiments, individual health decisions regarding screenings or vaccinations remain a conversation to have with your personal physician. Keeping track of evolving public health recommendations is important for navigating care in a changing landscape.

The takeaway

Public trust in national health authorities has reached an all-time low following years of political volatility and policy changes. Readers should continue to prioritize direct communication with their own healthcare providers when making decisions about personal health and wellness.