U.S. Medicine, Science Facing An Online Misinformation Siege, Poll Concludes

Key TakeawaysAmericans are caught in a 'misinformation paradox' about health and science topicsPeople rely on social media for health and science news, but don’t trust the information they find thereMany contribute to the problem by sharing articles based on the headline alone, without reading and digesting them.WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Americans are trapped in a ruthless social media spin cycle of viral misinformation regarding science and medicine, with many actively contributing to the problem, a new Harris Poll has found.People have come to depend on social media for news about health and science, but the poll found they also blame these platforms for the spread of misinformation.Worse, users themselves are contributing to the “misinformation paradox” that is undermining the nation’s confidence and scientific leadership, pollsters said.Many Americans are regularly receiving and automatically spreading health misinformation without bothering to digest the facts.Three-quarters (75%) of those who share articles on health or science admit that they’ve done so based on the headline alone, without reading the full article and assessing its validity, the poll found.This self-perpetuating stream of misinformation is sowing anger, confusion and insecurity among the U.S. populace, said Kathy Steinberg, vice president, healthcare research at The Harris Poll.“What the poll revealed is that misinformation around health and science may be impacting the public’s trust in science and scientific experts, and it’s taking an emotional toll,” she said in an email.“We’re seeing 82% worry about the well-being of themselves and their families because of misinformation, and about 1 in 5 young adults now distrust medical doctors and scientists,” Steinberg explained. “There could be real implications here on the health decisions one is making for themselves and their families.”However, the poll also found one bright spot: In America’s fractured political scene, everyone agrees that science is important to the nation’s success.There’s overwhelming agreement that U.S. scientists are smart (87% of Republicans and 94% of Democrats) and that they improve people’s quality of life (80% of Republicans and 90% of Democrats), the poll found.Further, 9 of 10 Democrats (92%) and Republicans (90%) agree that the U.S. must play a leading role in global scientific research."We've uncovered a hidden consensus," John Gerzema, CEO of the Harris Poll, said in a news release. "Despite a fractured delivery of information, a shared belief in the value of science has rare unity across party lines."America has become heavily reliant on social media for its health and science news, the poll found.In all, 3 of 4 people (75%) get health and science information from social media at least monthly, and nearly 4 in 10 (38%) daily.Overall, social media is a primary source for such news for 32% of Americans, outpacing TV news (25%), newspapers and news websites (13%), AI (7%) and government agencies (6%), the poll showed.Americans also know they can’t trust what they find on social media:80% blame these platforms for the spread of false or misleading information.71% blame online content creators for the spread of misinformation.86% judge misinformation regarding health and science to be a bigger problem than it was five years ago.However, the users themselves are part of the problem.More than half (53%) said they had shared articles related to health or science with others, but three-quarters of those folks passed them along based solely on the headline, without first reading and digesting the full article.This flow of misinformation is taking an emotional toll on the American psyche, the poll found.About 83% said they feel angry when they come across false or misleading information regarding science and health, and 82% of respondents said they are concerned that such misinformation could affect the well-being of themselves and their families.It’s also created what the Harris Poll calls a “generational trust gap” in medicine and science.About half of 18-to-34-year-olds blame medical doctors (48%) and scientists (43%) for the false or misleading information they come across in the media and online, the poll found.As a result, about 1 in 5 said they’ve come to somewhat or completely distrust doctors (16%) and scientists (20%) as sources of information."This is more than just busy social feeds full of click-bait headlines when half of young adults are scrolling for their health information," Gerzema said. "This growing paradox is going to have real life health impacts if a fifth of young people continue to distrust doctors and scientists as legitimate sources."Despite all this, Americans want to lead on science, with 90% saying the U.S. should play a leading role in global research.“Despite a public that is emotionally exhausted by misinformation and becoming more suspicious of uncredible opinions they encounter online, Americans remain remarkably united in the belief that science has a positive impact on their lives and that U.S. scientific leadership on the global stage is a necessity,” concluded the Harris Poll report.“Navigating today’s volatile information environment is a challenge, but countering misinformation and championing scientific research is a mission worth the effort,” the report said. “By supporting both the science, the scientific process and the experts who conduct it, we ensure that innovation continues to drive human progress. Americans want credible science.”The poll, sponsored by Bayer, was conducted online Feb. 4-6 among 2,023 U.S. adults. Its margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. More informationThe American Psychological Association has more on countering misinformation.SOURCES: The Harris Poll, news release, March 18, 2026; Science Under Siege, March 18, 2026 .What This Means For YouPeople should make sure they read and evaluate an online post before sharing it with others, to diminish the spread of misinformation..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

U.S. Medicine, Science Facing An Online Misinformation Siege, Poll Concludes

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