Common myths about vaccines that became prevalent during the pandemic have not gone away. "These false or unproven claims about vaccines have remained persistent in terms of exposure over the past several years, with little change to the share of the public who have heard most of these myths," according to the latest KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust.
Many adults say they have heard false claims about the measles and COVID-19 vaccines, including that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines cause autism in children (66%); that more people have died from the COVID-19 vaccines than the virus itself (46%); that mRNA vaccines can alter DNA (36%); or that measles vaccines are more dangerous than measles itself (29%).
However, smaller shares are convinced that these claims are true. Fewer than 1 in 10 adults express ardent belief in each myth, while larger shares (between 31% and 44%) say each is "definitely false" and at least half fall in the "malleable middle," saying each claim is either "probably true" or "probably false."
Those who use social media and artificial intelligence chatbots for health information are more likely to endorse many of these vaccine myths. Adults who regularly use AI for health information are more likely than non-users to believe or lean toward believing myths about MMR and mRNA vaccines. Although younger adults, Black and Hispanic adults, and those without a college degree are more likely to use to social media for health...
The state of Connecticut along with 35 other states and the District of Columbia has reached a $36.5 million settlement with CVS Pharmacy resolving allegations that CVS knowingly submitted or caus...