Government Health Report Uses Fabricated Academic Citations to Support Childhood Disease Findings

bbc.com/news/articles/cdj98vrzpyvo

Revised Article

A US government health report released in May 2024 contained fabricated academic citations to support its findings about childhood chronic disease in America. The report, issued by the Make America Healthy Again Commission under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was amended after digital outlet NOTUS discovered seven non-existent sources among its references.

Multiple academics named as authors of cited studies confirmed to news agencies that they never wrote the referenced research and that the studies do not exist. Columbia University professors Guohua Li and Noah Kreski, along with epidemiology professor Katherine Keyes, all denied authorship of studies attributed to them. Li called the reference 'totally fabricated,' while Kreski said the study 'doesn't appear to exist at all.'

The report concluded that poor diet, environmental toxins, stress, insufficient physical activity, and 'overmedicalisation' contribute to chronic illness among American children. These conclusions reflect legitimate areas of public health concern, though the fabricated supporting citations undermine the report's credibility and raise questions about scientific integrity in government policymaking.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt characterized the issues as 'formatting problems' that did not negate the report's substance. However, the fabrication of academic sources represents a serious breach of research standards, particularly concerning given RFK Jr.'s history of promoting debunked health claims, including the false assertion that vaccines cause autism. During his confirmation hearings, RFK Jr. stated he was 'never anti-vaccine' and promised not to remove vaccines from the market, suggesting his official position may differ from his past activism.

The incident highlights broader concerns about the intersection of political advocacy and scientific evidence in health policy. RFK Jr. was confirmed as Health Secretary by a narrow 52-48 Senate vote in February 2025, with significant Republican support despite his controversial views. Since taking office, he has implemented significant changes including cutting thousands of health department jobs and planning placebo trials for new vaccines.

Missing Context & Misinformation 4

  • RFK Jr. was confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services by a narrow Senate vote of 52-48 in February 2025, with only one Republican (Mitch McConnell) voting against him, indicating significant Republican support despite his controversial views.
  • The Make America Healthy Again Commission was established as part of Trump's broader health policy agenda, representing a shift toward questioning conventional medical practices and pharmaceutical interventions.
  • RFK Jr. has stated during his confirmation hearings that he was 'never anti-vaccine' and promised not to remove any vaccines from the market, suggesting his current official position may differ from his past activism.
  • The report's conclusions about poor diet, environmental toxins, and overmedicalisation contributing to childhood chronic disease reflect legitimate areas of public health concern, even if the supporting citations were fabricated.
  • Columbia University, where several of the falsely attributed researchers work, is a prestigious institution with 96 Nobel Prize winners and strong research standards, making the fabrication particularly notable.

Disinformation & Lies 2

  • The article accurately reports the fabricated citations as confirmed by the named researchers themselves, making this a verified case of citation fraud rather than disputed claims.

Bias 3

The article contains some bias but it is largely fair and useful. The bias includes: 1) Emphasizing RFK Jr.'s vaccine skepticism and autism claims early in the article, which is warranted given his role and the context of fabricated health studies. 2) Including Democratic criticism while not balancing with Republican defense, though this is reasonable given the factual nature of the fabrication allegations. 3) The tone appropriately conveys alarm about government reports using fake citations, which serves readers by highlighting genuine concerns about scientific integrity in policymaking. The bias helps readers understand the broader context of why fabricated health studies are particularly concerning given RFK Jr.'s controversial health views.