New poll identifies large ‘malleable middle’ on vaccine misinformation
A new survey found that two-thirds of adults (66%) have heard the false claim that MMR vaccines have been proven to cause autism in children. Nearly half (46%) have heard the claim that more people have died from COVID vaccines than from the virus itself, and 36% have heard that mRNA vaccines can alter a person's DNA.
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, University of Minnesota
Vaccine myths are not new. They have circulated for decades, surviving retracted studies and countless public health campaigns. Now, a new poll suggests that, while relatively few Americans fully believe those falsehoods, many remain uncertain about them—a finding that suggests opportunities to counter vaccine misinformation.
The findings arrive amid declining vaccination rates, increasing numbers of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles, and significant upheaval in US vaccine policy. For example, vaccination coverage for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine among US kindergartners during the 2024-25 school year was 92.5%, a decrease from the year before and below the national target of 95%.
As of last week, 30 measles outbreaks have been reported in the United States in 2026. That follows a record-breaking 48 outbreaks in 2025. Cases have climbed to 2,134, compared with 2,288 for all of last year. And the nation’s measles elimination status is in jeopardy.
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