New Poll: Majority of Americans Support Keeping Vaccines Widely Available to Protect Children and Communities

Nearly 90% of parents of children under 18 recognize the importance of following doctors' recommendations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 29, 2025) – The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) today released results of a public opinion poll that reveals most American voters, regardless of political affiliation, support the continued availability of FDA-approved vaccines and express concern over declining childhood vaccination rates.

The bipartisan poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Lake Research Partners, examined registered voters’ perspectives on vaccination trends, access to vaccines, U.S. leadership in vaccine development, and trust in information sources. The results underscore widespread public agreement that vaccines are essential for safeguarding public health

Key Findings:

• 74% of American voters believe the U.S. should prioritize ensuring FDA-approved vaccines are widely available for everyone.

• 81% of voters say it is important for the U.S. to remain a leader in developing new vaccines.

• Nearly 70% of respondents expressed concern over declining vaccination rates among children.

Despite diverse sources of information, Americans continue to place the highest level of trust in their healthcare providers and long-term studies. More than half of respondents say they place “a great deal of weight” on their doctor’s opinion when it comes to vaccines — significantly more than any other source. Results show 88% of Americans with children under 18 report they always or sometimes vaccinate their children based on doctor recommendations, and 77% overall typically do the same for themselves.

However, this confidence remains fragile, particularly given ongoing mixed messaging about vaccines. These findings show why consistent and transparent communication will be crucial for maintaining trust.

“Vaccines remain a critical public health issue with support from voters across the political spectrum,” said Neil Newhouse, partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies. “It's important to recognize that despite political differences, Americans recognize a fundamental need to protect themselves, their families, and their communities through vaccines.”

“Despite political divides on some health issues, it is heartening to see a clear consensus around the importance of vaccines in protecting American families,” said David Mermin, a partner at Lake Research Partners. “Ensuring access to accurate information and maintaining trust in healthcare providers will be key to sustaining this support.”

“This poll underscores a fundamental truth: protecting our health through vaccination is not a partisan issue,” said Candace DeMatteis, policy director for the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease. “Notably, vaccines like the ones for polio, measles, and many other serious pathogens are widely regarded as vital for public health. Americans understand the benefits of vaccines in safeguarding our children and communities, and we must continue to prioritize access to vaccines and to credible scientific information to inform decisions.”

Public Opinion Strategies and Lake Research Partners designed and administered this nationwide survey by online panel and text-to-online interview on January 15-24, 2025. The firms interviewed 788 self-identified Republican registered voters and 776 other (non-Republican, i.e. Democrats, independents) voters nationwide, reaching a combined weighted sample of 1,386 registered voters (MOE = +/-2.6%). The total unweighted sample size, including oversampled Republicans, is 1,564.

More detailed findings and methodology can be found HERE.

About the Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease

The Partnership to Fight Infectious Disease (PFID) is a group of patients, providers, community organizations, academic researchers, business and labor groups, and infectious disease experts working to raise awareness of threats posed by infectious disease.