New Survey Shows Health Misinformation on the Rise

September 3, 2026

On August 31, The Physicians Foundation announced findings from its 2026 Survey of America’s Physicians: Misinformation and the Erosion of Trust in American Health Care, examining how health misinformation is affecting patient decisions, the patient-physician relationship, and physicians’ ability to provide care. 

The survey of more than 1,000 U.S. physicians, conducted in collaboration with Medscape, finds that misinformation has become a routine part of medical care—and physicians say its impact is growing.  

Nearly every physician surveyed encountered patients influenced by misinformation or disinformation in the past year, and seven in 10 (69%) say they encounter it a moderate amount to a great deal of the time, up from 61% in 2025. 

Key findings include:  

• Nearly two-thirds of physicians (65%) say medical misinformation significantly impacts their ability to provide quality patient care, up from 57% in 2025. 

• Nearly half of physicians (49%) frequently experience medication or treatment non-adherence due to misinformation, while 45% frequently see patients refuse recommended treatment or care. 

• Two-thirds of physicians (66%) say misinformation frequently contributes to increased anxiety among patients. 

• One in three physicians (34%) report that misinformation frequently contributes to a breakdown of trust between physicians and patients. 

Misinformation is affecting both patient decisions, and the care physicians are able to provide. Ensuring patients have better access to trusted health information and giving physicians the time and resources to address misinformation when it comes up, is essential to protecting trust and supporting quality care. 

The Physicians Foundation is a public charity seeking to advance the work of practicing physicians and help them facilitate the delivery of high-quality health care to patients. For more information, click here.