A new poll from KFF spotlights just how sharply health opinions are split along party lines in the United States. Asked about President Trump's recent public attack on acetaminophen—the main ingredient in Tylenol, which he linked to autism—Democrats and Republicans responded in near mirror-image opposition. While 59% of Democrats dismissed the claim as "definitely false," 56% of Republicans labeled it "definitely true" or "probably true," despite medical groups reiterating the drug's safety for pregnant women.
The poll also suggests public trust in major health institutions is taking a hit, especially among Democrats, as the CDC's credibility on vaccines has dropped 24% within this group over the last two years. CNN notes that overall trust in the agency is at its lowest since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. The ongoing shake-up includes Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now Trump's health secretary, who himself faces low approval ratings, with 59% of respondents—predominantly Democrats and independents—disapproving of his performance. That said, Kennedy's word carries significant weight among Republicans, who trust him almost as much as their own doctors, Ashley Kirzinger, an associate director for KFF polls, tells NPR.
As faith in federal health agencies slides, Americans are turning to different sources for guidance. Democrats are leaning heavily on professional medical groups like the AMA and American Academy of Pediatrics, with more than 80% expressing trust in these organizations. Among Republicans, that number drops to about half. The result: a fragmented public-health landscape where party loyalty increasingly guides decisions about health, rather than shared scientific consensus. "We're going to see partisanship playing a big role in what people decide to do," Kirzinger notes to NPR.
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