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Earning public trust in science

Explore evidence, findings and insights into how people think and feel about science, what makes science trustworthy to the public, and how researchers and institutions can earn public trust.

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Why is trust in science important to Wellcome? 

Wellcome’s vision is a healthier future for everyone. That future depends on trust in science.  

Science brings us insights and solutions that can improve health – but only if people use them. This depends on the decisions of individuals, communities and governments, and those decisions are rooted in trust. That’s why trust in science is foundational to our work. 

We believe science is a force for good. But fulfilling its potential depends on people feeling  that scientific evidence, processes and institutions are trustworthy.  

Trusting science does not mean expecting people to accept it or act without question. Questioning and testing ideas are fundamental to science itself. Mistrust in science has also been warranted at times. People have the right to decide who and what they trust, drawing on their own knowledge and experiences. 

Trust must therefore be earned through trustworthy actions. This includes listening to people, approaching concerns with openness and respect, being transparent about how research is funded and conducted, and communicating clearly about what evidence shows and where uncertainty remains.

What Wellcome is doing 

Wellcome has a long history of exploring the relationship between science and society. Through research, engagement, partnerships, and the Wellcome Collection, we have sought to understand how people encounter science and health and how we can make science relevant to their lives. 

Today, our work on public trust in science has three connected aims.

1. Growing the public trust in science evidence base

We invest in research that helps us understand how trust in science is earned, sustained, or withdrawn.  

This includes exploring differences between countries and groups, identifying the qualities people associate with trustworthy science, and examining how trust is affected by people’s experiences, values and information environments. 

We make this evidence available to researchers, policymakers, science communicators and the public. It can help them make decisions, respond to public concerns, explore further questions on public trust and understand the wider context in which science takes place.

2. Translating evidence into tools for trustworthiness

Evidence is only useful if it leads to action. We are developing and testing practical approaches to help researchers, practitioners, scientific institutions, and policymakers demonstrate trustworthiness in their work. 

This means going beyond one-way, mass communication of scientific findings and exploring how different types of communication resonate with different groups according to their experiences and values, how we navigate complex conversations about science and how we can engage and communicate with people in an increasingly complicated social, political and media landscape.

3. Building connection and engagement with science

Through various initiatives, we bring to life the ways that health and science impact people’s lives, communities and futures and explore the incredible stories of how scientists and communities are tackling the urgent health challenges of our time.  

Our current podcast When Science Finds a Way tells the human story, showcasing trustworthy science in action and the Wellcome Photography Prize brings together stories of health, science and human experience through compelling imagery.

Featured public trust in science research 

The resources below bring together evidence on public trust in science and scientists.

Wellcome Global Monitor

The Wellcome Global Monitor is the world’s largest study of how people think and feel about science. It surveys adults in 140 countries, providing data about public attitudes to science, health information, healthcare systems and government.   

The Wellcome Global Monitor provides uniquely comparable global dataset which tracks changes in public trust in science across countries and over time. 

Its findings help researchers, funders and policymakers understand how people’s experiences and social and cultural contexts shape their views. The next Wellcome Global Monitor will launch in October 2026.

Britain talks trust in science

Science remains one of Britain’s most trusted institutions, with 84% of people expressing at least some trust in science, according to this Wellcome-funded study by More in Common. However, trust varies significantly across different groups in society, reflecting differences in values, worldviews and life experiences.

The report finds that trust is strengthened when science is seen as improving people’s lives and offering hope for the future, while concerns about political influence, funding and transparency are key drivers of scepticism. It argues that trust must be earned through openness, independence and meaningful engagement with different audiences.

Public Trust in Science and Scientific Trustworthiness

This set of three reports bring together evidence from across Europe, the US and Canada and finds that public trust in science remains generally high, despite concerns about declining trust in institutions. This review was commissioned by Wellcome and conducted by RAND Europe.

It concludes that trust depends not just on expertise, but on whether scientists and institutions demonstrate integrity, transparency, independence and a willingness to engage with public concerns.

Trust in scientists: the role of values and moral and political identities in the UK

Trust in scientists remains high in the UK, but it is shaped more by whether people feel scientists share their values and understand people like them than by perceptions of expertise alone. Political identity, personal connections to science and perceptions of openness all play an important role in building trust.

A new report from the Policy Institute at King’s College London and Sense about Science, funded by Wellcome, found that nearly two-thirds of the public have high trust in scientists overall, although trust varies across different scientific fields and institutions.

Insights and analysis 

Trust is not a given: what science can learn from a fragile consensus

Philippa Michael, Wellcome’s Head of Public Initiatives, reflects on the findings of Britain Talks Trust in Science and what they mean for the scientific community. 

The article considers how scientists and institutions can make their independence visible, communicate uncertainty, support people to assess evidence and show how science connects with everyday life.

What can we learn from the research on public trust in science?

This analysis explores the evidence on public trust in science and explains why scientific expertise, while essential, is not enough on its own to demonstrate trustworthiness. 

It considers the importance of transparency and responsiveness, and how trustworthiness can be demonstrated by individual researchers, scientific institutions and the wider research system.

Is policy keeping up with science and technology breakthroughs?

Emerging technologies can bring major benefits for health, but they can also raise ethical and social questions. This analysis looks at how policymakers and regulators can balance scientific progress with effective oversight. 

It highlights the importance of engaging the public early so that the governance of emerging technologies reflects social values and needs. 

Scientists should recognise their own political biases to build public trust

In this Nature commentary, Mark Henderson, Director of Corporate Affairs and Engagement at Wellcome, argues that public trust in science cannot be sustained if it becomes associated with a particular political ideology. He calls on scientists to recognise and mitigate their own political biases, warning that perceptions of partisanship can undermine scientific credibility and public confidence.

Contact 

We’re interested in hearing from other people and organisations working on issues related to trust in science. If you’d like to find out more about Wellcome’s work in this area, explore opportunities to collaborate, or share relevant insights and research, please get in touch with the Wellcome Public Initiatives team. 

Together, we can build a deeper understanding of what helps science earn and sustain trust.

engagement@wellcome.org

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