How AI Can Both Detect and Enable Fraudulent Research

Highlights

Nearly 10% of cancer research papers showed signs of being fabricated by “paper mills” that sell manuscripts at industrial scale, with the share increasing exponentially over time, according to new research. The problem may intensify as generative AI becomes more sophisticated, prompting lawmakers to demand information from federal agencies about safeguards in place.

And, persistent claims that physicians are financially incentivized to promote vaccines may be contributing to vaccine hesitancy and declining trust, even as recent analyses show doctors typically break even or lose money when administering vaccines.

AI & Emerging Technology

What We’re Watching

Pediatricians Do Not Receive Illegal Financial Incentives to Vaccinate, Despite Persistent Claims

Claims that pediatricians receive illegal financial incentives to vaccinate children have continued to circulate by lawmakers in February, despite federal laws that prohibit pharmaceutical companies from paying providers to administer vaccines. Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a formal investigation into “unlawful financial incentives” related to childhood vaccine recommendations, alleging that doctors are paid based on the number of vaccines they administer. Similar claims have circulated on social media for months and have been echoed by federal health officials, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who stated last summer that doctors were being “paid to vaccinate, not to evaluate.” While quality-of-care incentive programs from insurance companies do exist, these are legal programs, not offered by vaccine manufacturers, and are based on dozens of health metrics beyond vaccines. Recent analyses have shown that pediatricians typically break even or lose money when administering vaccines, particularly when serving people who are uninsured or who rely on Medicaid.

What To Watch Out For: Despite these persistent false claims, the KFF/Washington Post Survey of Parents found that children’s pediatricians were the most trusted source of vaccine information among parents, including across partisanship. KFF will continue to monitor whether the persistence of these unfounded claims may contribute to declining confidence in providers’ recommendations.

Claims that the Keto Diet Can Cure Mental Illness Draw Attention, Despite Lack of Robust Evidence

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed earlier this month that the ketogenic diet, which emphasizes higher consumption of fats and proteins while limiting carbohydrate intake, could “cure” schizophrenia. Kennedy cited research from a Harvard researcher, who has since challenged the characterization. The researcher emphasized that he has not claimed to “cure” schizophrenia or other mental illnesses and does not advise patients to try the diet without close medical supervision. Kennedy’s claims overstate preliminary research into whether the diet might help people with mental health disorders. Early research has explored whether ketogenic diets may influence biomarkers and metabolic factors associated with severe mental health conditions, but the current body of evidence does not establish the diet as a cure for schizophrenia or other mental illnesses. A 2025 American Psychiatric Association (APA) policy paper describes the approach as controversial and lacking robust, evidence-based research. Kennedy’s comments were followed by a spike in online discussion about the ketogenic diet as people reacted to his statements and similar claims. KFF’s monitoring of social media (X, Reddit, and Bluesky) found that posts, reposts, or comments that contained variations of the phrase “ketogenic diet” along with “schizophrenia” reached the highest point of the past year in early February. The response to Kennedy’s comments in public discourse included both skepticism and belief in the claim, reflecting broader uncertainty that adults might have when facing false or misleading claims.

What To Watch Out For: The spike is decreasing, but the impact of these claims might linger; when senior health officials make unfounded claims that overstate or misrepresent early research, they risk undermining public understanding of how medical evidence develops. Patients with mental health conditions who encounter these claims may be confused about whether established treatments remain appropriate and whether these unproven approaches should replace evidence-based care.

Older Adults See More Low-Quality Health Information Online, Study Shows

A new study published in Nature Aging found that, among the study’s participants, exposure to low-credibility health content online increased with age and was not solely driven by how often users viewed health-related content. The research showed that older participants consumed less content on YouTube overall, in line with KFF’s July 2025 Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust, which showed that about half (49%) of adults ages 65 and over reported using social media to find health information and advice at least occasionally, compared to larger shares of adults ages 18-29 (76%). Despite lower overall use, the Nature Aging study found that a higher share of what older participants viewed came from low-credibility sources. Participants who believed false or misleading health claims were also more likely to encounter low-credibility health content, indicating a link between beliefs and exposure.

What To Watch Out For: As health information increasingly moves online, understanding these age-related disparities in exposure to and belief in false claims becomes more important for designing effective public health communication strategies.

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