ai
Study Finds Fabricated References in Biomedical Papers Rose Sharply After 2023
A Columbia University analysis of nearly 2.5 million papers found the share containing at least one non-existent reference increased from one in 2,828 in 2023 to one in 277 in early 2026. The study links the rise to wider use of AI writing tools.
FO
interestingengineering.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Researchers at Columbia University examined nearly 2.5 million biomedical papers and 97 million citations indexed on PubMed Central. They identified more than 4,000 fabricated references across nearly 3,000 papers. The rate of papers containing at least one fake reference rose from one in 2,828 in 2023 to one in 458 in 2025. In the first seven weeks of 2026, the rate reached one in 277.
How the Errors Were Discovered Associate professor Maxim Topaz at Columbia University’s School of Nursing encountered the issue when a journal questioned a reference in his submitted paper. An AI tool he had used had inserted a fabricated source. Topaz then led the audit published in The Lancet this month.
He stated that the increase in fabricated references became steep in 2024, coinciding with broader adoption of AI tools in research.
Medical guidelines and clinical decisions rely on chains of citations that begin with published studies. A fabricated reference at any point in that chain can affect later reviews and treatment recommendations. Topaz noted that some paper-mill articles with questionable references have already appeared in systematic reviews used to shape guidelines.
He added that verification steps are needed inside existing research workflows rather than after publication. The study found 98.4 percent of papers containing fake references had not been retracted at the time of the audit.
