How to Cite a Government Document in AMA Style

Government documents are valuable sources in medical and health sciences research, including reports from agencies like the CDC, NIH, and FDA. AMA style provides specific formatting for these official publications. This guide covers citing various types of government documents.

Basic Format for Government Documents

The standard format for citing a government document in AMA style is:

Agency Name. Document Title. Publication Number (if applicable). Publishing Agency; Year.

Components include:

• Government agency name as author
• Complete document title in italics
• Publication or report number
• Publishing agency or GPO (Government Publishing Office)
• Year of publication

Federal Agency Reports

Federal government agencies publish numerous reports relevant to medical research. The format includes:

Federal Agency. Title of Report. Publication Number. U.S. Government Publishing Office; Year.

Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control. CDC-2025-1045. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 2025.

Breaking this down:

• Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Title: Guidelines for Infection Prevention and Control
• Publication Number: CDC-2025-1045
• Publisher: U.S. Government Publishing Office
• Year: 2025

National Institutes of Health Documents

NIH publications follow the same format:

National Institutes of Health. Document Title. NIH Publication Number. National Institutes of Health; Year.

Example: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Strategic Plan: Emerging Infectious Diseases. NIH Publication No. 25-AI-5234. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; 2025.

FDA Guidance Documents

FDA guidance documents use similar formatting:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Title of Guidance. FDA Document Number. U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Year.

Example: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Guidance for Industry: Clinical Pharmacology Data. FDA 2023-D-123. U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2023.

Congressional Reports

Congressional documents include:

U.S. Congress. House/Senate Committee. Title of Report. Congress Document Number. U.S. Government Publishing Office; Year.

Example: U.S. Congress. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Health Care Costs and Access Study. H. Rep. 118-456. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 2024.

Congressional Bills and Acts

When citing legislation:

Title of Act, Pub. L. No. Number-Statute (Year).

Or more detailed format:

U.S. Congress. Title of Act. Pub. L. No. X-XXX, XXX Stat. XXX (Year).

Example: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Pub. L. No. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936 (1996).

Regulations and Code of Federal Regulations

Regulations appear in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR):

Title of Regulation. C.F.R. § xxxx (Year).

Example: Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information. 45 C.F.R. § 164.500 (2023).

Online Government Documents

For government documents available online, include the URL and access date:

Agency Name. Document Title. Publishing Agency; Year. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL

Example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative. CDC; 2024. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/solutions-initiative/

DHHS and HHS Documents

Department of Health and Human Services documents:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Document Title. DHHS Publication Number. U.S. Government Publishing Office; Year.

Example: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Surgeon General’s Report on Smoking Cessation. DHHS Publication No. CDC 84-50195. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 1990.

Complete Government Document Examples

Example 1: CDC Report

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Vaccination Safety Monitoring. CDC Publication 301-245. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 2024.

Example 2: NIH Strategic Plan

National Institute on Aging. Strategic Research Plan and Budget to Defeat Alzheimer’s Disease. NIH Publication 22-AG-7605. National Institute on Aging; 2022.

Example 3: FDA Guidance Document

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Guidance for Industry: Developing Novel Anti-Infective Drugs. FDA 2023-D-6789. U.S. Food and Drug Administration; 2023.

Example 4: Congressional Report

U.S. Congress. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Healthcare System Reform and Patient Safety. S. Rep. 118-89. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 2024.

Example 5: Online Government Health Resource

National Cancer Institute. Cancer Statistics and Epidemiology. NCI; 2025. Accessed March 16, 2026. www.cancer.gov/statistics

State Government Documents

State government documents follow similar format:

State Name. Agency. Document Title. Publication Number. State Publishing Agency; Year.

Example: State of California. Department of Public Health. Communicable Disease Control Manual. CDPH Publication 2024-001. State of California; 2024.

World Health Organization Documents

WHO is an international governmental organization:

World Health Organization. Document Title. WHO Document Number. World Health Organization; Year.

Example: World Health Organization. Global Health Sector Strategy on Antimicrobial Resistance. WHO Document WHO/CMS/2021-2. World Health Organization; 2021.

In-Text Citation

Government documents are cited using superscript numbers:

“According to CDC guidelines,¹ healthcare facilities must implement specific infection control procedures.”

The superscript corresponds to the reference list entry.

Finding Government Documents

Government Websites

Most government agencies maintain official websites where documents can be downloaded.

Federal Depository Library Program

Public libraries participating in FDLP often maintain collections of government documents.

Government Publishing Office

GPO.gov provides access to federal documents and publications.

Agency-Specific Collections

Individual agency websites (CDC, NIH, FDA) maintain searchable document collections.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Incorrect Agency Name

Wrong: Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. Title. CDC; 2024. Correct: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Title. CDC; 2024.

Use the official agency name.

Mistake 2: Missing Publication Number

Wrong: CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 2025. Correct: CDC. Guidelines for Infection Control. CDC-2025-1045. U.S. Government Publishing Office; 2025.

Always include publication numbers when available.

Mistake 3: Incorrect Title Formatting

Wrong: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Control. CDC; 2025. Correct: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for Infection Control. CDC; 2025.

Document titles must be italicized.

Mistake 4: Wrong Publishing Entity

Wrong: NIH. Strategic Plan. National Institutes of Health Publishing; 2022. Correct: NIH. Strategic Plan. National Institutes of Health; 2022.

Identify the correct publishing source.

Mistake 5: Incomplete Legislation Citations

Wrong: Health Insurance Act, 1996. Correct: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Pub. L. No. 104-191, 110 Stat. 1936 (1996).

Include full citations with public law numbers and statute numbers.

Government Document Citation Elements

Publication Numbers

Verify the correct format for the agency’s publication system:

• CDC publications: CDC-YEAR-NUMBER format
• NIH publications: NIH Publication No. XX-XXXX format
• FDA documents: FDA YEAR-D-NUMBER format

Agency Abbreviations

Use official abbreviations:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention = CDC
• National Institutes of Health = NIH
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration = FDA
• World Health Organization = WHO

Government Publishing Office

The Government Publishing Office (GPO) is the official publisher of federal documents. Some older documents may list the “Superintendent of Documents.”

Special Government Document Types

Presidential Documents

Presidential statements and executive orders:

President Name. Title of Statement/Order. Executive Order Number. Published Month Day, Year.

Example: Biden J. Memorandum on Biodefense, Pandemic Preparedness, and Biosecurity. Executive Order 14099. Published May 15, 2023.

SAMHSA and Mental Health Resources

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration documents:

SAMHSA. Document Title. SAMHSA Publication Number. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Year.

Practical Citation Checklist

Before finalizing your government document citation, verify:

• Agency name is correct and official
• Document title matches exactly
• Publication number is accurate
• Publishing entity is correct
• Year is accurate
• Format matches AMA style
• If online, URL is correct and accessible
• Superscript number corresponds to reference list

Conclusion

Government documents are authoritative sources in medical and health sciences research. Proper citation of these documents demonstrates that you’ve consulted official guidance and regulatory information. By following these AMA guidelines, you’ll create accurate citations that allow readers to locate and verify government information. Always use official agency websites and publications to ensure you have the most current and accurate information available.