The Lancet· 2026
Fabricated citations: an audit across 2·5 million biomedical papers
- 73citations
- 2026year
Short summary
An audit of 2.5 million biomedical papers revealed that fabricated citations, which point to non-existent studies, are present in the scientific literature.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- A large-scale audit examined 2.5 million biomedical papers.
- Fabricated citations, referencing non-existent studies, were identified.
- These fabricated references undermine the verifiability of scientific claims.
- The presence of fabricated citations impacts readers, reviewers, and policymakers.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Scientific literature depends on the integrity of its references. Each reference implicitly asserts that a verifiable source exists and supports the claims being made. When references point to non-existent studies, readers, reviewers, and policy makers are unable to evaluate the evidence.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The Lancet, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Safety ResearchSocial SciencesHistory and Philosophy of Science