Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the face of the federal government’s health care policies, but a new poll suggests few Americans trust his advice when it comes to their own medical decisions.
An Economist/YouGov poll released Wednesday found that 26 percent of respondents said that they at least “somewhat” trust Kennedy’s medical advice, compared to 48 percent who said that they distrust him.
An overwhelming majority (79 percent, of respondents said they trust medical advice from their own doctors, and half (51 percent) trust guidance from the embattled Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Kennedy, a former environmental lawyer who does not have a medical degree, has come under intense pressure in recent days following the messy ouster of former CDC director Susan Monarez and other actions that critics argue are “compromising the health of the nation.”
Nearly half of respondents in the Economist/YouGov poll (45 percent) said they disapprove of Kennedy’s job as the HHS secretary.
About 37 percent of respondents said they have a favorable opinion of the Kennedy scion, who President Trump appointed to lead health initiatives in his administration after Kennedy unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination before publicly backing Trump’s reelection bid last fall.
Kennedy’s efforts, carried under the banner of his “Make America Health Again” (MAHA) agenda, have prompted changes on synthetic dyes and other additives in food, the advancement of vaccines and other items have raised concerns from health experts.
The CDC saw a major leadership upheaval in recent days over disagreements with Kennedy, who has a long record as a vaccine skeptic.
Former CDC leaders have publicly spoken out about the “wide-ranging impact” of Kennedy’s decisions, which have included firing thousands of health workers, canceling investments in medical research, replacing experts on advisory committees and ending support for global vaccination programs.
HHS didn’t immediately respond to The Hill’s request for comment on the survey’s findings.
The Economist/YouGov poll surveyed 1,691 adults Aug. 29 through Tuesday. The margin of error is 3.4 percentage points.
