Confidence in science drops after COVID pandemic

Confidence in science, which grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, has declined in recent years. This is especially true for people experiencing financial difficulties. This follows from the results of one of the largest international studies of public attitude to science, writes Bloomberg. The study was conducted by Wellcome Global Monitor.

The study involved more than 140,000 people worldwide.

In 2025, 72% of respondents worldwide expressed confidence in science. In 2020, there were 80%, and in 2018 - 77%.

The study comes amid a proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories that have made it difficult to tackle health threats. In some countries, academic institutions are also facing increased political pressure and funding shortages, according to Bloomberg.

The head of the Wellcome Foundation, John-Arne Röttingen, linked the possible decline in trust in science with its politicization during the pandemic, when vaccines, masks and health measures became the subject of political debate. However, the study does not establish the exact reasons for this trend.

In 2025, science was trusted by 39% of those living in prosperity and 20% of those who did not have enough money to live. According to Röttingen, people experiencing financial difficulties may consider science part of a system that does not take into account their interests. He also noted that scientists need to communicate more actively with these populations and better explain how science benefits them.

The study also found a link between trust in science and attitudes toward vaccination. Among those who are ready to get the recommended vaccine immediately, high confidence in science was twice as common as among those who are not vaccinated - 36 versus 18%.

Röttingen warned that declining vaccination coverage raises risks not only for the unvaccinated but also for those around them. He expressed concern about the growing number of measles cases in the U.S. and Europe and stressed that trust in science is necessary to harness its achievements, including in future epidemics.

In the United States in April recorded an increase in the incidence of measles amid a decrease in the level of vaccination of children, follows from the results of a study by scientists at the Yale School of Public Health in Connecticut. According to researchers, the consequences of measles outbreaks over the past year cost the country $ 244.2 million.

In addition, the researchers noted that even if the vaccination rate is reduced by 1%, by 2030 the number of cases will exceed 17,000 per year, and will lead to more than 4,000 hospitalizations and dozens of deaths.