Can Americans still trust the CDC? How public health experts can respond

Can Americans Still Trust the CDC?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has long been considered the gold standard for public health guidance. But under the current administration, the agency’s independence and scientific credibility are under direct attack.

In my recent essay for Healthbeat, I examine troubling changes to CDC’s mission statement, the hollowing out of its leadership, and the replacement of its vaccine advisory committee (ACIP) with political loyalists. The central question I raise is one that once seemed unthinkable: Should public health experts tell Americans not to trust the CDC?

I explore three possible strategies for experts—discrediting the agency itself, focusing blame on political appointees, or criticizing specific corrupted decisions while defending the integrity of CDC’s career scientists. My conclusion: the path forward lies in defending science, naming political interference, and building alternative sources of authority until the CDC can be restored.

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👉 Can Americans still trust the CDC? How public health experts can respond

Source note

Original source: Can Americans still trust the CDC? How public health experts can respond, published September 23, 2025.

Related reading

• CDC decapitated: What comes next for public health in the United States?
• A Policy Blueprint for Rebuilding Public Health Trust
• The Trust Series: A Framework for Confidence in Public Health

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