Widespread misinformation is undermining public health and putting children at risk
April 24, 2025
Key Takeaways
- Two-thirds of U.S. adults have heard the false claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism
- Vaccine misinformation linked to rising measles cases and declining childhood vaccination
- Health experts criticize RFK Jr. for promoting disproven claims amid growing outbreak
As the U.S. grapples with a resurgence of measles, new polling from nonprofit KFF reveals that widespread misinformation is undermining public health and putting children at risk.
According to the nationally representative survey, two-thirds of American adults have heard the false claim that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine causes autism, and about a third believe or have heard that the measles vaccine is more dangerous than the disease itself.
The growing circulation of these myths, often amplified by public figures like Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has coincided with the largest measles outbreak in decades and a steady decline in childhood vaccination rates.
A worrying shift in public belief
KFF found that around 25% of U.S. adults now believe the MMR vaccine is linked to autism, despite decades of research showing no causal connection. In addition, about a fifth believe the vaccine is more dangerous than the measles virus, and another quarter believe vitamin A can prevent measlesa claim not backed by health authorities.
Many Americans fall into what KFF calls the malleable middleexpressing uncertainty about the validity of these claims. While more adults say the statements are definitely false than definitely true, a large segment remains unconvinced, creating fertile ground for continued misinformation.
These false beliefs were especially prevalent among Republican voters and Hispanic adults, according to the poll.
RFK Jr.s role and the public health fallout
Kennedy has a long and controversial history with vaccines and autism, and has publicly shared each of the three false claims flagged in the KFF survey. Although he recently offered a qualified endorsement of the measles vaccine, he continues to frame vaccination as a personal choice rather than a public health imperative.
Earlier this month, Kennedy launched a new initiative at HHSa massive testing and research effort aimed at uncovering what he calls the autism epidemic. He has suggested environmental toxins may be to blame, drawing criticism from both scientists and autism advocacy groups.
Vaccines do not cause autism, several leading autism organizations said in a joint statement Thursday. Decades of scientific research have confirmed this. Public health messaging must reflect scientific consensus and protect all communities.
Outbreak grows as vaccination declines
So far in 2024, the U.S. has recorded nearly 900 measles cases, with over half the states reporting at least one infection. The majority of these cases are among unvaccinated individuals, according to the CDC. Most are tied to a multistate outbreak centered in West Texas, pushing national case counts to their highest levels since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
Worryingly, only about half of U.S. adults are even aware that measles cases are spiking, the KFF survey found.
Parents who believe misinformation are twice as likely to skip or delay vaccines for their children. Nearly a quarter of parents who said at least one of the false claims is definitely or probably true admitted to delaying or skipping childhood immunizationscompared to just 11% among parents who rejected the claims outright.
As experts warn of the real threat of measles spreading further, they emphasize that the most effective tools remain the same: accurate information, community trust, and widespread vaccination.
Sign up below for The Daily Consumer, our newsletter on the latest consumer news, including recalls, scams, lawsuits and more.
.newsletter-form {
display: flex;
max-width: 400px;
margin: 20px auto;
background: #f8f9fa;
padding: 10px;
border-radius: 8px;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}
.newsletter-input {
flex: 1;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 5px 0 0 5px;
font-size: 16px;
outline: none;
}
.newsletter-input:focus {
border-color: #007bff;
}
.newsletter-button {
background: #2976D1;
color: white;
border: none;
padding: 10px 15px;
font-size: 16px;
border-radius: 0 5px 5px 0;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background 0.3s ease;
}
.newsletter-button:hover {
background: #0056b3;
}
#Misinformation #measles #vaccine #widely #believed #KFF #poll #finds