QUESTIONABLE SOURCE
A questionable source exhibits one or more of the following: extreme bias, consistent promotion of propaganda/conspiracies, poor or no sourcing to credible information, a complete lack of transparency, and/or is fake news. Fake News is the deliberate attempt to publish hoaxes and/or disinformation for profit or influence (Learn More). Sources listed in the Questionable Category may be very untrustworthy and should be fact-checked on a per-article basis. Please note sources on this list are not considered fake news unless specifically written in the reasoning section for that source. See all Questionable sources.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is rated Questionable due to its recent alignment with a Right-Biased government agenda and growing promotion of anti-science propaganda, conspiracy theories, and pseudoscience under current leadership. Although the agency continues to host reliable historical data and disease tracking resources, its factual reporting is now considered Mixed, as political influence has increasingly undermined scientific integrity and objectivity.
Detailed Report
Questionable Reasoning: Propaganda, Conspiracy, Pseudoscience, False Claims
Bias Rating: RIGHT (6.8)
Factual Reporting: MIXED (6.1)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rating: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Government
Traffic/Popularity: High Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: LOW CREDIBILITY
History
Established in 1946, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) serves as the leading national public health agency in the United States. Operating under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the CDC’s mission is to protect public health and safety through disease control, research, and education. Historically, the agency has been a trusted source for evidence-based health information, particularly during outbreaks such as influenza, Ebola, and early COVID-19.
Read our profile on the United States government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
The CDC is part of the U.S. federal government and funded through congressional appropriations. As of August 2025, leadership transitioned to Jim O’Neill, a biotech investor and close ally of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. O’Neill, who is not a physician, has publicly supported unproven medical treatments and aligned himself with Kennedy’s “Make America Health Again” initiative, which includes anti-vaccine rhetoric and pseudoscientific claims.
Analysis / Bias
While the CDC continues to host large volumes of factual, data-driven content from its historical archives, recent developments have introduced significant credibility concerns. Under the new leadership of Jim O’Neill and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the agency has integrated individuals with a documented history of spreading misinformation about vaccines. For example, members of the CDC’s reconstituted Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, including MIT’s Retsef Levi, have publicly misrepresented vaccine safety data, contradicting established medical research and consensus (FactCheck.org).
Although much of the CDC’s legacy information remains rooted in science, newer policy communications and vaccine guidance reflect an increasing tolerance for pseudoscience and politicized narratives. This blend of legitimate research with politically influenced pseudoscience represents a departure from the agency’s traditional pro-science stance.
Failed Fact Checks
- See Above. Furthermore, RFK has an abysmally poor track record with fact-checkers regarding scientific issues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is rated Questionable due to its recent alignment with a Right-Biased government agenda and growing promotion of anti-science propaganda, conspiracy theories, and pseudoscience under current leadership. Although the agency continues to host reliable historical data and disease tracking resources, its factual reporting is now considered Mixed, as political influence has increasingly undermined scientific integrity and objectivity. (D. Van Zandt 12/31/2017) Updated (10/07/2025)
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/
Last Updated on October 7, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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Left vs. Right Bias: How we rate the bias of media sources