Fewer than half of Americans trust the FDA and CDC to do their job, poll finds
Just 42 percent of more than 1,000 people surveyed in a new poll from the non-profit KFF think federal health agencies are effectively able to respond to infectious disease outbreaks. Furthermore, only 45 percent are confident that they could ensure the safety and effectiveness of vaccines approved for use in the U.S., and 46 percent believe that these and other health agencies can ensure prescription drugs are safe and effective for public usage.
'There are remarkably low levels of trust in the nation's scientific agencies, shaped by partisan perspectives, and that presents a real danger for the country if and when another pandemic hits,' KFF CEO Drew Altman said in a statement.
The findings come amid heightened vaccine hesitancy that has helped to fuel the recent and deadly West Texas measles outbreak, and moves made by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. in support of alternate treatments and review established science.
Less than half of Americans say they trust in federal health agencies to do critical parts of their job. A new poll comes following a major overhaul of the country's science and research programs (Getty Images)
While most adults said that they were at least 'somewhat confident' in the safety of routine vaccines — including for the measles (84 percent) and the flu (74 percent) — that number drops significantly when questioned about the Covid vaccine. Indeed, only 56 percent of adults say that are at least 'somewhat confident' that it is safe.
One of the reasons behind the lack of confidence is that 60 percent of the public, including Democrat voters, say that the CDC and FDA aren't paying close enough attention to science when making decisions under the Trump administration. Less than a third of respondents said they had confidence in the agencies to act independently without interference from outside groups.
Vaccine hesitancy has contributed to the West Texas measles outbreak. The state has seen nearly 700 cases (Getty Images)
'In addition, at least three in ten say these agencies are paying 'too much attention' to the beliefs of officials running the agencies (34 percent) and the interests of pharmaceutical companies (30 percent) when making vaccine-related decisions,' KFF said.
Many of the responses fell along party lines. For example, Democrats were more likely to say that they have 'some' trust in government health agencies. While 87 percent of Democrats were at least 'somewhat confident' in the Covid vaccines' safety - just 30 percent of Republicans said the same.
But, for Democrats, trust in the agencies to provide vaccine information is declining: falling by double digits since 2023. For Republicans, that's increased by 10 percentage points.
'While Democrats are still more likely than Republicans to trust either the CDC or FDA as a source of vaccine information, the shifts in trust mark a notable reversal in partisan trends first observed during the start of the Covid pandemic,' said KFF.
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Associated Press
a minute ago
- Associated Press
CCHR Calls for Clinical and Financial Audit of U.S. Mental Health System
LOS ANGELES, Calif., Aug. 11, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — The Citizens Commission on Human Rights International (CCHR) is calling for a clinical and financial audit of the U.S. mental health system, warning that plans to involuntarily commit individuals experiencing homelessness could worsen mortality rates while escalating healthcare costs. The group emphasizes that psychotropic drugs commonly used in psychiatric facilities carry serious—often fatal—risks, especially when administered without thorough medical screening. While no federal agency tracks national mortality rates among people experiencing homelessness, studies estimate a death rate between 3% and 8%.[1] CCHR warns this could rise if individuals are forcibly institutionalized and prescribed high-risk antipsychotics—known to cause fatal conditions such as Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). High doses of antipsychotics are associated with significantly increased mortality, especially in young adults.[2] NMS has a mortality rate of up to 10%, according to The Handbook of Clinical Neurology.[3] Symptoms include hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, delirium, and coma. An estimated 100,000 Americans have died from NMS.[4] Another long-term risk is Tardive Dyskinesia (TD), a debilitating movement disorder that resembles Parkinson's disease and affects at least 25% of those taking antipsychotics.[5] TD can persist long after the drugs are discontinued. With over 11 million Americans prescribed antipsychotics, this translates to approximately 2.75 million potentially suffering from TD and more than 1.1 million at risk of NMS.[6] 'Drug-induced brain damage is being disguised as 'mental illness,'' Jan Eastgate, president of CCHR, stated. 'Tragically, the homeless are likely to be targeted for these toxic treatments if hospitalized.' CCHR points to concerning practices in California, where psychiatric outreach teams inject homeless individuals with long-acting antipsychotics—under the euphemism of 'street medicine.' These injections can remain active for weeks, with individuals unable to stop the drugs' effects. A core concern is psychiatry's frequent failure to conduct adequate medical assessments before diagnosing and drugging. A landmark California study (1983–84) found 39% of individuals admitted to state psychiatric hospitals had undiagnosed physical illnesses. Medical staff often failed to identify these, highlighting systemic diagnostic failure.[7] The study led to the development of the Mental Health Medical Evaluation Field Manual, which provided a low-cost screening algorithm capable of detecting 90% of these medical issues. There is no evidence that the manual is still in use. CCHR is calling for it to be implemented nationwide. 'This one change—comprehensive physical exams—could dramatically reduce misdiagnosis, psychiatric hospitalizations, and iatrogenic harm,' Eastgate said. TheDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) admits that medical conditions can mimic psychiatric symptoms and must be ruled out. Psychiatrists use the term anosognosia —an alleged inability to recognize one's illness—as a rationale for forced treatment.[8] There is no objective test to confirm this theory. There are concerns about conflicts of interest in psychiatric diagnosis. Of the DSM-5 task force members, 69% had financial ties to pharmaceutical companies. They received $14.2 million—of which $8.4 million went to those determining criteria for drug-induced movement disorders like TD.[9] Meanwhile, mental health spending continues to soar with little to no measurable improvement in public outcomes. Treatment is often significantly more expensive than general medical care.[10] In 2013, U.S. mental health costs reached $201 billion—more than cancer and heart disease. By 2022, that figure had ballooned to $329 billion—a 94% increase in less than a decade, while the population grew by only 6.4%. The consequences extend beyond cost. Antidepressants—sometimes prescribed with antipsychotics—were implicated in 5,863 overdose deaths in 2022, a 226% increase since 2000.[11] They can also increase the risk of repeated suicide attempts by 50%.[12] Psychiatric outcomes remain dismal. The U.S. has the highest suicide rate among developed countries and the second-highest drug-related death rate.[13] A third of individuals in psychiatric hospitals are re-admitted within a year,[14] and 31% are assaulted while institutionalized.[15] CCHR urges policymakers to: 'We need to abolish coercive psychiatric powers and first examine the harm already being done—and how much it's costing lives and taxpayers,' Eastgate concluded. CCHR's co-founder, the late psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz, stated: 'There is neither justification nor need for involuntary psychiatric interventions…. All history teaches us to beware of benefactors who deprive their beneficiaries of liberty.' Founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Prof. Szasz, CCHR is a non-profit mental health watchdog with chapters across six continents. Its mission is to expose and eradicate abuse in the mental health field and to restore human rights and dignity to mental health care. To learn more, visit: Sources: [1] [2] 'Antipsychotic Medications and Mortality in Children and Young Adults,' JAMA Psychiatry, 2024; [3] 'Chapter 25 – The psychopharmacology of catatonia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, and dystonia,' Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol 165, 2019, [4] Mad in America: Bad Science, Bad Medicine, and the Enduring Mistreatment of the Mentally Ill, (Perseus Publishing, New York, 2002), pp. 207-208 [5] Handbook of Clinical Neurology, Vol 165, 2019 [6] [7] MEDICAL EVALUATION FIELD MANUAL, Stanford, CA, 1991, pp. 3-4, 18. [8] Thomas Szasz, MD, Coercion as Cure: A Critical History of Psychiatry, 2007, p. 22 [9] 'Undisclosed financial conflicts of interest in DSM-5-TR: cross sectional analysis,' BMJ, 10 Jan. 2024, [10] 'Addiction and mental health vs. physical health: Widening disparities in network use and provider reimbursement,' Milliman Research Report, C, 20 Nov. 2019 [11] [12] [13] [14] 'Readmission of Patients to Acute Psychiatric Hospitals: Influential Factors and Interventions to Reduce Psychiatric Readmission Rates,' Healthcare (Basel), 2022 Sep 19;10(9), [15] 'Fear, Neglect, Coercion, and Dehumanization: Is Inpatient Psychiatric Trauma Contributing to a Public Health Crisis?' Journal of Patient Experience, 9 Aug. 2022, MULTIMEDIA: Image link for media: Image Caption: Mental health industry watchdog, CCHR, is calling for a clinical and financial audit of the U.S. mental health system, warning that involuntary commitment of the homeless could raise mortality and healthcare costs. NEWS SOURCE: Citizens Commission on Human Rights Keywords: General Editorial, Citizens Commission on Human Rights, CCHR International, Jan Eastgate, U.S. mental health system, homeless, LOS ANGELES, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Citizens Commission on Human Rights) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P128343 APNF0325A To view the original version, visit: © 2025 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. RIGHTS GRANTED FOR REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY ANY LEGITIMATE MEDIA OUTLET - SUCH AS NEWSPAPER, BROADCAST OR TRADE PERIODICAL. MAY NOT BE USED ON ANY NON-MEDIA WEBSITE PROMOTING PR OR MARKETING SERVICES OR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
Time Magazine
a minute ago
- Time Magazine
Trump's Tax Bill Will Starve Public Schools. Kids are Next
Hunger in America's public schools is a real problem, and it is heartbreaking. As the head of the largest union of educators in the country, I hear stories almost daily of how kids struggle and how schools and teachers step up to fill the gaps. It's the school community in Kentucky filling a Blessing Box with foods to help fellow students and families who don't have enough. It's the teacher in Rhode Island who started a food "recycling" program to ensure no food goes to waste and to give students access to healthy snacks like cheese sticks, apples, yogurt, and milk. School meals are more than a budget line item. They are lifelines that help millions of students learn and grow. But as families across America prepare for the new school year, millions of children face the threat of returning to classrooms without access to school meals. President Donald Trump's newly-signed tax bill, which Republicans overwhelmingly voted to pass, slashes food assistance benefits via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by an estimated $186 billion over the next decade—the largest cut in American history. These devastating reductions will result in an estimated 18 million children losing access to free school meals. The cuts shift the cost of school lunches to the states, costing them more than they can afford when they are already grappling with tighter budgets and substantial Republican-led Medicaid cuts. Twenty-three governors warned these cuts will lead to millions of Americans losing vital food assistance. Read More: Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' Will Devastate Public Schools It's hard to understand if you've never faced hunger, but millions of American children do not have access to enough food each day. In a recent survey of 1,000 teachers nationwide, three out of every four reported that their students are already coming to school hungry. Our children can't learn if they are hungry. As a middle-school science teacher for more than 30 years, I have seen the pain that hunger creates. It's the student who skips breakfast so she can give it to her little brother. It's the student who misbehaves because his stomach is rumbling. It's the students who struggle in class after a weekend where they didn't have a single full meal. Educators see this pain everyday, and that's why they go above and beyond—buying classroom snacks with their own money—to support their students. Free school meals represent commonsense and cost-effective public policy. They don't just prevent hunger, they help kids succeed. Decades of research reviewed by the Food Research & Action Center shows that when students participate in school breakfast programs, behavior, academic performance, and academic achievement go up and tardiness goes down. When I stand in a room of bright and curious children, it breaks my heart that some of them are going without the food they need to learn and thrive—not because America can't afford to feed them, but because adults in Washington decided they'd rather spend the money on tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. The cuts from the Republican tax bill will hit hardest in places where families are already struggling the most, especially in rural and Southern states where school nutrition programs are a lifeline to many. In Texas, 3.4 million kids, nearly two-thirds of students, are eligible for free and reduced lunch. In Mississippi, 439,000 kids, 99.7% of the student population, were eligible for free and reduced lunch during the 2022-2023 school year. These are not abstract numbers. These are real children who show up to school eager to learn but are instead distracted by hunger and uncertainty about when they will eat again. America's kids deserve better. The National School Lunch Act of 1946 laid the foundation that public schools are places where children can receive a free breakfast and lunch each day. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. For decades, Republican and Democratic administrations alike expanded school lunch programs, operating under the shared understanding that no child should go hungry at school in the richest country in the world. But the extreme right wing of today's Republican Party has walked away from that moral consensu—ripping away these programs to give another tax break to billionaires. The Trump Administration's authoritarian blueprint outlined in Project 2025 takes the anti-public education attacks even further by attempting to gut the Department of Education and to send tax dollars to private schools, and promoting ideologically-driven book bans and classroom censorship. Read More: Former Education Secretary: Gutting the Department of Education Hurts All Americans And now, as the Trump Administration and its allies work to destroy public education, they also have attempted to intimidate the National Education Association and our 3 million educators. They know we are powerful and vocal advocates for students and a formidable opponent to their attacks on public education. Last month, the relentless efforts of organized educators and our allies got the Trump Administration to release $7 billion in education funds it had tried to withhold. Together, we will fight forward: for our vision where every student attends a safe, inclusive, supportive, and well-resourced public school, which includes nutritious meals for all students regardless of race or place. We are educators. We don't quit. We will continue to engage with school boards, town halls, state legislatures, and Congress to fight for students. Public education does not belong to politicians trying to dismantle it. It is for every student, parent, and educator who understands it has the power to transform lives.
CNN
29 minutes ago
- CNN
Testing finds caffeinated coffee is clean of contaminants. Well, almost
That cup of joe that jolts you awake in the morning is pretty safe when it comes to contaminants and toxins, a new investigation has found. Well … almost. 'While some contaminants were present, most were found at minimal levels and well below the European Union's safety limits per 6-ounce serving. This means coffee is generally safe,' said Molly Hamilton, executive director of the nonprofit Clean Label Project, which conducted the investigation into caffeinated coffees. That's great news because coffee has a stellar résumé: Studies have found drinking about 3 cups of black coffee a day provides health benefits, such as reducing risk for such issues as heart disease, multiple sclerosis, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, prostate cancer, stroke, dementia and more. But here's the grind — the testing found traces of a worrisome herbicide called glyphosate and one of its byproducts. Glyphosate is a popular herbicide that has been linked to hormone disruptions and neurotoxic effects, including the development of autism and other developmental disorders in children. The first MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) Commission report, released in May, raised concerns about the impact of glyphosate and other pesticides on children's health. The US Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory bodies, however, say numerous studies and risk assessments have shown no adverse effects of glyphosate at levels found in the food supply. In addition to glyphosate, testing found some coffees also contained small amounts of phthalates, a plasticizer found in consumer products such as food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children's toys. Phthalates have been linked with reproductive problems, such as genital malformations and undescended testes in baby boys and lower sperm counts and testosterone levels in adult males. Studies have also linked phthalates to asthma, childhood obesity and cancer. Testing found the highest levels of phthalates in coffee sold in cans, followed by pods and finally bags. The reason for that isn't yet clear, 'so our next study is going to be analyzing the packaging assembly line to discover why there is a change in contaminants,' Hamilton said. 'The Clean Label Project plays an important role in post-market testing for contaminants in everyday consumer products, including this recent report on coffee,' said David Andrews, acting chief science officer for the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group that maintains a database on personal care products that contain toxins. 'The higher phthalate levels found in coffee pods and canned coffee suggest that packaging could be a meaningful source of exposure to these chemicals of concern,' Andrews said. The National Coffee Association, which represents the US coffee industry told CNN that it was 'highly irresponsible to mislead Americans about the safety of their favorite beverage.' 'Decades of independent scientific evidence show that coffee drinkers live longer, healthier lives,' NCA President and CEO William 'Bill' Murray said in an email. The Clean Label Project measures levels of heavy metals, pesticides and plasticizers in food and consumer products. The organization also checks to see whether the tested products' labels list those contaminants. To do the testing, Clean Label obtained samples of coffee from 45 popular brands — which they did not name. Coffee beans were grown in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Peru and Hawaii. A certified lab conducted over 7,000 tests looking for pesticides, including glyphosate; heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium; mycotoxins, which are toxic chemical compounds produced by some molds that grow on crops; and phthalates, a plasticizer found in consumer products such as food wrapping, food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children's toys. The tests found scant glyphosate, but 'significant' amounts of aminomethylphosphonic acid, or AMPA, a byproduct of glyphosate as it breaks down in the environment, according to the report. The half-life of AMPA is longer than that of glyphosate, which means it can persist in the environment and is easily absorbed by plants from soil and water. In addition, AMPA has been shown to damage cellular DNA in prostate cells and cause an increased risk of liver inflammation and metabolic disorders in young adults. Testing found organic coffees bested conventional coffees in total amounts of contaminants, but there was one oddity — there were levels of AMPA in all of the 12 organic coffees tested. Of the 45 samples of conventionally grown coffees, only 29 tested positive for aminomethylphosphonic acid, according to the report. While certified organic coffee growers cannot use pesticides like glyphosate, it's possible for organic fields to be contaminated by runoff from neighboring conventional farms, Hamilton said. 'Still, the detection of AMPA in 100% of organic samples we tested is definitely a wake-up call,' she said. 'We definitely need stronger safeguards and greater transparency in our food system.' Levels of heavy metals depended on where the coffee was grown. Africa has some of the lowest levels of heavy metals, while the highest were found in Hawaiian coffee. Hawaii, however, is a volcanic island and therefore expected to have more significant levels of heavy metals in the soil. An analysis also found 100% of the tested coffee samples contained small amounts of acrylamide, a colorless, odorless chemical formed when certain foods are cooked at high temperatures, such as when frying, baking and roasting. Acrylamide has been linked to cancer in animals when they are exposed to extremely high doses. However, the chemical is not thought to be toxic to humans at small levels of consumption. Despite that, the US Food and Drug Administration has advised manufacturers to attempt to lower levels in the food supply. Clean Label's testing found levels of acrylamide varied with the degree of roasting of coffee beans. The highest levels of acrylamide were found in medium roasts, followed by light roasts and dark roasts. 'The dark coffees are the best choice because they are roasted at lower temperatures for a longer period of time so acrylamide levels don't rise,' Hamilton explained. 'The light coffees are roasted minimally, so here too, acrylamide levels don't build up. 'However, medium roasts have the higher levels of acrylamide because they are roasted at higher temperatures long enough to darken the beans,' she said. What could a coffee lover take away from the testing? 'When you decide which coffee to buy, choose darker or the lightest roasts in bags or pods and consider where coffee is grown, which can impact the levels of heavy metals,' Hamilton said. 'But I want to stress that it's important to put these findings into context,' she added. 'Caffeinated coffee is still one of the cleanest product categories we've ever tested. 'Our report isn't meant to raise alarm or keep consumers from drinking coffee, but rather to empower people on how to choose the cleanest, safest cup of coffee.' Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN's Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being.
