In brief
A controversial US government report on children's health has been criticized for including non-existent studies, prompting serious concerns over citation accuracy among academics wrongly attributed as authors.
A recent report issued by the US Health Department has stirred significant controversy after academics recognized as authors of several cited studies claimed they never wrote them, with some studies identified as purely fictitious. The report, released on May 22, aimed to address causes behind what it called a "chronic disease crisis" affecting American children. However, digital outlet NOTUS uncovered that it referenced seven non-existent sources, leading to an amended version on May 29.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed the issue, attributing it to "formatting issues," while maintaining that the fundamental findings of the report would remain unaffected. Under the leadership of US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has previously espoused discredited theories regarding vaccines and autism, the department has faced scrutiny over its methodology.This report's compilation follows a directive issued by former President Donald Trump, aimed at investigating the potential causes of childhood chronic diseases. The Make America Healthy Again Commission, which produced the report, suggested contributors to this crisis included poor dietary habits, environmental pollutants, stress, lack of physical activity, and an over-reliance on medical interventions.However, several renowned scholars, including Guohua Li from Columbia University, have publicly dismissed their alleged involvement in the cited studies. Li described one reference as “totally fabricated,” emphasizing he didn't even recognize the co-author also attributed to the work. Noah Kreski, another supposed author, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that the purported study did not exist.Furthermore, Katherine Keyes, an expert in epidemiology, expressed her alarm at the misuse of citation practices commonly critical for the integrity of scientific research. Another instance of misattributed authorship involved research on youth psychotropic medications which was similarly denied by the actual institutions involved.The Democratic National Committee has condemned RFK Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services, accusing it of propping up policy goals with unverifiable sources and rampant citation inaccuracies. Since taking office earlier this year, RFK Jr. has undertaken significant workforce reductions in health services while pushing for implementation of placebo trials for new vaccines. This controversy adds to the growing scrutiny surrounding his controversial viewpoints on health policies.
