The White House’s federal health policy initiative MAHA Report, aimed at addressing declining health outcomes in children, has come under scrutiny as experts question the reliability of its scientific references. Among the 522 footnotes included in the initial release, at least 37 appear repeatedly, while several sources seem fabricated or contain errors in authorship.
AI specialists have pointed out URL markers such as “oaicite” in the references, indicating the likely use of artificial intelligence tools to compile citations. Some links led to dead pages while others cited studies or articles that do not exist, casting doubt on the report’s research foundation.
One reference used to support claims about overmedication in children cited a study that could not be found, although a real Pediatrics article with a similar title was later added in its place. Another reference misidentified its author and included different names than the original reporter.
Concerns Over AI and Scientific Integrity
Repeated and oddly formatted references are classic signals of AI-generated content, according to computer scientists, alongside the invention of plausible yet imaginary publications. Within hours of its release, the White House quietly swapped out erroneous references and authors in the online version, but signs of AI use remained visible in the document throughout Thursday.
Government and public health figures reacted sharply as the situation unfolded. Georges C. Benjamin of the American Public Health Association dismissed the report’s scientific worth, calling for it to be disregarded entirely in policymaking and serious debate.
The MAHA Report was organized by a commission of cabinet members led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., following an executive order from President Trump. Kennedy has previously spoken about integrating AI in health policy work, promoting it as a tool for innovation and efficiency.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the report’s intentions and findings, characterizing the citation issues as mere formatting problems that were swiftly addressed. She emphasized the administration’s ongoing confidence in Kennedy and maintained the report’s substance is grounded in strong science.
Officials updated the digital report multiple times on Thursday to correct broken links and references to nonexistent material. Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson Andrew Nixon insisted adjustments were superficial and that the essence of the report stands untouched as a significant federal contribution to children’s health.
The episode echoes recent controversies, such as those involving prominent political and legal figures who relied on AI for research and encountered similar troubles with incorrect citations. These problems have raised alarms among scientific organizations about an overreliance on technology that can fabricate information without verification.
Peter Lurie, president of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, criticized the decision to frame the report as a product of scientific rigor while heavily relying on AI-aggregated data. Other academic experts explained that current AI platforms cannot comprehend the legitimacy of evidence, and are prone to generating references that appear valid but lack real-world basis.
Independent analyses also noted that several parts of the report appeared to misrepresent conclusions from referenced studies, further complicating its scientific credibility.
