A recent US government report on children’s health has been criticized for citing fabricated studies to support its conclusions. Academics listed as authors of these non-existent studies have publicly refuted their involvement.
Initially released on May 22nd, the report detailed the causes of a purported “chronic disease crisis” among American children. Following an investigation by NOTUS, which uncovered seven fabricated sources, an amended version was issued on May 29th.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt attributed the discrepancies to “formatting issues,” stating the report’s core message remained unchanged despite the inaccuracies.
The report originates from the Department of Health and Human Services, currently headed by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has a history of promoting unsubstantiated claims, including the link between vaccines and autism.
The report’s creation stems from an executive order issued earlier this year by President Trump, directing a study into the purported childhood chronic disease crisis and its potential causes.
Published by the Make America Healthy Again Commission, the report attributes the crisis to factors such as poor diet, environmental toxins, stress, inadequate physical activity, and “overmedicalisation.”
However, several researchers named as authors of cited studies have denied any involvement, confirming the studies’ non-existence.
Professor Guohua Li of Columbia University, listed as an author of a study on children’s mental health during the pandemic, labelled the citation “totally fabricated,” emphasizing his unfamiliarity with the listed co-author.
Similarly, Columbia University researcher Noah Kreski also denied authorship, stating the referenced study appears to be entirely fictitious.
Katherine Keyes, an epidemiology professor, also confirmed her name was used without her knowledge or consent, expressing concerns about the integrity of scientific reporting.
Another cited study, concerning the advertising of youth psychotropics, was also found to be falsely attributed, according to the author’s employing university.
The Democratic National Committee condemned the report, accusing the Department of Health and Human Services of using non-existent sources and riddling the report with factual errors.
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