Health Information and Trust

The monitor

Nearly 10% of cancer research papers showed signs of being fabricated by “paper mills” that sell manuscripts at industrial scale, with the share increasing exponentially over time, according to new research. The problem may intensify as generative AI becomes more sophisticated, prompting lawmakers to demand information from federal agencies about safeguards in place.

Plus, persistent claims that physicians are financially incentivized to promote vaccines may be contributing to vaccine hesitancy and declining trust, even as recent analyses show doctors typically break even or lose money when administering vaccines.

Polling

Trust and Confidence in the CDC Remain at Low Point After Changes to Recommended Childhood Vaccines

Weeks after the Trump administration reduced the number of childhood vaccine recommended for routine use, public trust in the CDC is at its lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic, and less than half are confident in federal agencies’ ability to make such recommendations. Among those who have heard about the revised recommendations, more say they expect the changes to have a negative impact than a positive one on children’s health. Read the News Release.

Interactive Dashboard: KFF Polling on Health Information and Trust

Drawing on KFF’s poll findings, this interactive dashboard tracks the public’s trusted sources for health information, attitudes toward vaccines, and use of news, social media, and AI for health-related information. It provides visual representations of the key trends in the public’s trust in health information and tracks exposure to and belief in false and unproven health claims.

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  • AI Chatbots as Health Information Sources — The Monitor

    Feature

    In this issue, we take a closer look at the reliability of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots as a source of health information. We explore public opinion on chatbot accuracy based on KFF surveys and highlight recent examples of AI-generated election misinformation in the news. In addition, we share our firsthand experience querying AI chatbots on health topics and discuss research on gaps in safeguards.

  • KFF Health Misinformation Tracking Poll: Artificial Intelligence and Health Information

    Poll Finding

    KFF's Health Misinformation Tracking Poll finds that while most adults say they have interacted with artificial intelligence (AI), most are not confident that these chatbots provide accurate health information. Most of the public, and half of AI users, are not confident they can tell whether information from AI chatbots is true or false

  • Anti-Vaccine Disinformation Campaign, Sunscreen Myths, and Counterfeit Ozempic on Social Media — The Monitor

    Feature

    This edition focuses on intentionally false or misleading information online and its potential impact on public trust in health care. We share a recent report that exposed a covert U.S. military social media disinformation campaign in the Philippines that may have undermined public confidence in vaccines. We also examine how false claims about sunscreen and non-FDA-approved "miracle cures" may be discouraging people from taking important preventative measures and seeking legitimate medical treatment. Finally, we explore the rise of counterfeit diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and the potential impact on trust in the pharmaceutical supply chain.

  • Supreme Court Cases on Content Moderation and Mifepristone Access — The Monitor

    Feature

    This issue of the Monitor focuses on recent Supreme Court decisions impacting health misinformation. We examine cases balancing free speech and platform regulation, the Court’s ruling on mifepristone access and public perceptions of social media moderation. We also explore COVID-19 narratives after Dr. Fauci’s congressional testimony and AI developments in predicting misinformation trends during pandemics.

  • Raw Milk Myths, Vaccine Falsehoods, and Reproductive Health Narratives – The Monitor

    Feature

    This first edition of the Health Misinformation Monitor explores misinformation about raw milk amid bird flu outbreaks on dairy farms, false vaccine narratives that continue to spread, and legal challenges against abortion pill reversal claims. Additionally, a growing number of states have required public schools to show fetal development videos that some have called biased and inaccurate. This Monitor report also provides a snapshot of new KFF misinformation polling on TikTok and discusses the early challenges faced by The World Health Organization’s new AI tool SARAH in providing accurate answers to health questions.

  • KFF Health Misinformation Tracking Poll: Health and Election Issues on TikTok

    Poll Finding

    KFF's Health Misinformation Tracking Poll shows that most adults who use the social media app TikTok report seeing health-related information or advice on the app. While fewer than half of users say they trust health information they see on the app, younger, Black and Hispanic users report higher levels of trust.