The MAHA report, formally known as the Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment, is a 78-page report released on May 22, 2025, by the MAHA Commission. It addresses the rising rates of childhood chronic diseases in the United States and attributes these increases to factors such as ultraprocessed foods, chemical exposures, lifestyle factors, and the excessive use of prescription drugs. The commission that produced the report was established by Executive Order and chaired by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. It included representatives from several federal agencies and senior White House officials. The report aims to identify the root causes behind the childhood chronic disease crisis and suggest steps to reverse the trend. However, the MAHA report has been controversial for several reasons:
- It contains numerous citation errors and references to studies that do not exist, with media reports indicating some citations may have been generated by artificial intelligence.
- Its scientific rigor has been questioned by experts who call it un-evidence-based and criticize its reliance on AI-generated citations.
- While it highlights real problems like poor nutrition and environmental toxins, critics say it misrepresents scientific consensus on issues like vaccine safety.
- The report has been accused of treating disability and chronic illness in a problematic way and blaming individuals for their health conditions.
- The government has since uploaded a corrected version of the report addressing some formatting and citation issues.
The MAHA report seeks to drive a federal effort to transform food, health, and scientific systems to better protect children's health, but it faces significant criticism over its methodology and some of its conclusions. It remains a highly discussed and debated document in 2025 concerning public health policy on childhood chronic disease.
