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More than a third of medical references generated by AI may be fabricated
More than a third of medical references generated by some widely used artificial intelligence (AI) platforms may be fabricated, according to a study published in The Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The research found that popular AI chatbots
answering common surgical health questions sometimes produced ‘hallucinated’ citations – references to sources that do not exist. As more patients turn to AI tools to understand symptoms, explore diagnoses and seek medical advice, the authors warn that fabricated references undermine users’ ability to check whether information is accurate or evidence-based. The study identified large discrepancies between AI platforms in both the quantity and reliability of the references they produced. In the worst-performing models, more than a third (34%) of references were fabricated or unverifiable, while several others produced no hallucinated references at all. Some fabricated citations closely resembled legitimate scientific literature, with plausible article titles, invented URLs, and attributions to reputable and well-known institutions such as the Mayo Clinic. Users attempting to follow up these references may find they do not exist or that they fail to support the information provided – making it difficult to distinguish
fabricated sources from genuine medical evidence. The research, titled ‘Trust, Truth, and
Transparency: Analysing the References Underpinning AI-Generated Surgical Information ’, is one of the first comprehensive analyses of the accuracy, quality and transparency of references generated by major AI platforms. For the study, the researchers analysed
responses from ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Grok (by X), DeepSeek and other AI systems when asked typical surgical questions, including the symptoms of appendicitis, the risks of gallbladder removal, and alternatives to colon cancer surgery. In total, 108 chatbot responses containing 1,249 references were analysed and assessed for accuracy, reliability, accessibility, and transparency. The study’s key findings included: l 25% and 34% of references from some AI models were fabricated or ‘hallucinated’.
l Several AI platforms only produced references when explicitly prompted, limiting users’ ability to verify information.
l Standard and enhanced reasoning models performed very differently, with advanced systems generating higher quality references, suggesting the most reliable information may only be available via premium or subscription- based tools. Around half of cited sources originated from the US or UK, suggesting potential gaps where local clinical guidelines may differ.
l Many cited sources were behind academic paywalls, limiting users’ ability to cross-check AI-generated medical advice.
Mr Tim Mitchell, President of RCS, warned: “The excitement around using AI-generated information must be matched with caution, by both patients and doctors.” Visit:
https://publishing.rcseng.ac.uk/ doi/10.1308/rcsann.2026.0021
14 surgical hubs
win accreditation Fourteen elective surgical hubs have achieved accreditation as part of cohort 12 of the GIRFT hub accreditation scheme. This brings the total number of hubs
accredited to 83 since the scheme began in March 2023. GIRFT is running quarterly cohorts to accredit all 125 hubs currently in operation across the NHS in England. The hub accreditation scheme enables Trusts to seek formal assessment of their surgical hub sites against a defined set of criteria – and offers the recognition that they are meeting the highest standards of clinical and operational practice.
Intuitive expands investment in EU
Intuitive has completed the acquisition of the da Vinci and Ion distribution business operated by ab medica, Abex, Excelencia Robótica, and their affiliates. The announcement marks the formal expansion of Intuitive’s direct operations in Europe, enabling the company to support customers in a more agile and integrated way and bring minimally invasive care to more patients across Italy, Spain, Portugal, Malta, San Marino and associated territories. “This marks an important step in our commitment to expanding access to proven, safe and effective minimally invasive care to more patients across Europe,” said Intuitive Chief Executive Officer Dave Rosa. “Our direct presence means we are better positioned to meet the needs of our customers in these geographies as we drive forward our shared goals of improving patient outcomes, improving patient and care team experience, increasing access to minimally invasive care, and lowering the total cost of care.”
New RCoA report on NHS productivity highlights key issues
A new report from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) shows most anaesthetists (78%) play a key role in perioperative care, which is vital to improving patient outcomes and NHS productivity. However, the report also highlights some of the barriers that are limiting their ability to do more. One in four (26%) consultant and SAS anaesthetists report reducing their working hours because of pension taxation, restricting capacity for additional elective surgery and slowing progress on waiting lists. Poor IT systems are another constraint, with
89% of anaesthetists saying they limit productivity. Slow computers were a major issue, with 58% rating them “poor” or “very poor” and 44% reporting difficulty accessing patient information quickly and easily. More than half (57%) of clinical leaders said their hospitals still rely on paper patient records some of the time. The report, Improving Productivity: Perioperative
Care, IT & Pensions, also points out that 19% of operations are postponed or cancelled, and 12% result in complications, leading to lengthy hospital stays. Patients are arriving in hospital too unfit to
be able to safely undergo surgery. However, turning waiting lists into preparation lists allows patients to be assessed shortly after referral for surgery for health problems like anaemia and negative health behaviours such as smoking. Targeted support can reduce cancellations and cut surgical complications by up to 50%. More than one in four (26%) consultant and SAS anaesthetists also reported reducing their hours due to pension taxation. This results in up to 1.5 million hours of lost anaesthetic clinical time each year. Visit:
https://tinyurl.com/43c7rn4e
July 2026 I
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