Poll: Public trusts doctors over legislators

The public trusts doctors more then lawmakers to recommend the right fix for the U.S. healthcare system, a new Galllup poll finds.

As you can see, among political figures, President Obama ranks well ahead both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. In fact, the public trusts pharmaceutical companies and health insurance companies MORE than the GOP. That’s….troubling for Republicans.

Gallup also provides a useful breakdown of responses by party. Republicans are a little more likely to trust doctors and hospitals (though a majority of Democrats trust those groups as well), while Democrats are more likely to trust academics and researchers.

The bipartisan trust in doctors is large reason why Obama trekked to Chicago this week to sell his plan to the American Medical Association, which represents physicians.