Global trust in science falls below pre-pandemic levels, survey finds

Investing.com -- Global trust in science has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, with confidence declining most sharply among people facing financial hardship, according to a Wellcome Global Monitor survey of more than 140,000 adults worldwide.

The survey found that 72% of respondents expressed at least some trust in science in 2025, down from 80% in 2020 and 77% in 2018.

Strong trust in scientists also declined to 32% in 2025 from 43% during the pandemic and 34% in 2018.

The decline was particularly pronounced among financially vulnerable households. Only 20% of people struggling to make ends meet reported high trust in science, compared with 39% of those living comfortably.

Between 2020 and 2025, strong trust fell 16 percentage points among financially struggling respondents, compared with 10 points among those living comfortably.

Wellcome Chief Executive John-Arne Røttingen said the politicisation of vaccines, masks and public health measures during the pandemic may have contributed to declining confidence.

The findings also revealed a relationship between trust in healthcare institutions and scientific confidence.

Among respondents expressing strong confidence in hospitals and clinics, 43% reported high trust in science, compared with 26% globally.

Vaccination attitudes showed similar differences. About 34% of respondents said they would immediately accept a recommended vaccine, while 48% preferred additional consideration and 15% reported avoiding vaccinations altogether.

The findings come amid renewed concerns about preventable diseases, with the United States recording nearly 3,900 measles cases this year, its worst outbreak in three decades.

Political divisions were also evident in the US, where perceptions of science’s benefits differed substantially according to attitudes towards national leadership.

The survey, conducted with Gallup and Ipsos, found scientists nevertheless remained more trusted than governments and journalists.

Wellcome cautioned that the findings establish associations rather than direct causes of declining confidence.