Most Americans have encountered false claims about the measles vaccine, and many aren’t sure what the truth is, according to a KFF poll released Wednesday.
Misconceptions about measles, a highly contagious virus, and its vaccine abound as cases continue rising across the United States, according to the poll. Prominent false claims suggest that there is a link between autism and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine; that the vaccine is more dangerous than measles itself; and that vitamin A can prevent measles infections. More than half of surveyed adults expressed uncertainty about whether to believe the false statements, which Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has amplified.
The proliferation of measles misinformation may have far-reaching implications, said Liz Hamel, director of public opinion and survey research at KFF, a health policy research organization.
“When we look at parents, those who believe or lean toward believing one of those false claims, they’re more likely to delay or skip vaccines for their children, compared to other parents,” she said. “There’s a relationship between belief or openness to believing misinformation about measles, and decisions to vaccinate your own children.”
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