The Eroding Foundation: Global Trust in Science Plummets Along Economic Fault Lines

In the wake of the global health crisis that defined the early 2020s, a new and troubling trend is emerging: the window of peak confidence in scientific expertise is closing. According to a massive global survey conducted by the London-based Wellcome Trust in partnership with Gallup and Ipsos, the surge of trust in science observed during the height of the pandemic has largely vanished, leaving behind a fragmented landscape of skepticism and polarization.

The survey, which gathered data from over 140,000 adults worldwide, paints a stark picture of shifting perceptions. By 2025, only 72% of participants reported having at least some level of trust in science. This figure represents a significant drop from the 80% recorded in 2020 and the 77% seen in 2018. Perhaps more concerning is that the proportion of people who hold a 'high degree of trust' in scientists has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting that the crisis did not strengthen the long-term bond between the public and the scientific community, but rather strained it.

Jeremy Letingen, Chief Executive of the Wellcome Trust, points to the aggressive politicization of pandemic responses and vaccine rollouts as a primary driver of this decline. The transformation of public health measures into ideological markers has exacerbated social polarization, turning scientific consensus into a battleground for political identity. The consequences are not merely academic; the decline in trust is manifesting in tangible public health risks, including dipping vaccination rates and the resurgence of preventable diseases such as measles.

One of the most striking findings of the report is the deep economic divide in how science is perceived. The data suggests that trust is increasingly becoming a luxury of the affluent. In 2025, 39% of those who described themselves as financially well-off expressed high trust in science. In contrast, only 20% of those struggling financially shared that sentiment. This disparity has widened significantly over the last five years; since 2020, the high-trust rate among the economically disadvantaged fell by 16 percentage points, compared to a 10 percentage point drop among the wealthy.

This suggests that for those at the bottom of the economic ladder, science is often viewed not as an objective pursuit of truth, but as a component of a broader systemic structure that has failed to provide them with basic security or benefits. This sentiment is further amplified in regions characterized by high levels of economic inequality or in countries where corruption is rampant and faith in public institutions is low.

Furthermore, the survey highlights a direct correlation between personal healthcare experiences and scientific trust. While the global average for high trust in science stands at 26%, this number jumps to 43% among individuals who expressed confidence in their local hospitals and health clinics. This indicates that the 'frontline' of medicine—the direct interaction between a patient and a provider—serves as a critical bridge to scientific credibility.

The intersection of trust and preventative medicine is perhaps the most critical area of concern. When questioned about their reaction to a vaccine recommendation from a healthcare provider, only 34% of respondents said they would accept it immediately. Nearly half (48%) indicated they would hesitate and consider the option, while 15% stated they would refuse it entirely. The data reveals a clear link: those who would immediately accept a vaccine are twice as likely to hold a high degree of trust in science compared to those who would reject it.

Letingen warns that the fallout from this distrust extends far beyond the individual. Because vaccines rely on community immunity to protect the most vulnerable—including those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons—the rise of skepticism poses a systemic threat to global health security. To combat this, he argues that the scientific community must move beyond the ivory tower and develop more inclusive, empathetic ways of engaging with marginalized populations to rebuild the broken bridge of trust.