Enter Preprint Servers: Is Peer Review Obsolete?

The delay in the publication of new information is critique medical journals that has received most recent and robust attention. Fueled by need to rapidly transmit findings during Covid pandemic, time required provide peer review ultimately make data available readers been focus intense scrutiny. result development preprint servers, which ability post results completed research manuscripts online public. prominent these servers for medicine MedRxiv organized Yale University conjunction with Cold Spring Harbor British Medical Journal. Space does not allow complete as other reviews.2Flanagin A. Fontanarosa P.B. Bauchner H. Preprints involving research—do benefits outweigh challenges?.JAMA. 2020; 324: 1840-1843https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.20674Crossref Scopus (37) Google Scholar They clearly convey some significant compared current publications. greatest benefit rapid dissemination findings. Enthusiasts point out process selecting reviewers receiving critiques, evaluation priority assignment editors, performance any requested additional or revisions, forwarding accepted publishers copy editing, typesetting, ultimate press necessitate a substantial amount time. are public this process, perhaps longer duration many if restricted only subscribers. Preprint eliminate interval widely disseminate In addition, availability preprints possibility incorporating constructive critiques prior journal submission. Finally, appearance server enables authors stake credit originality. obvious limitation potential circulate inaccurate information. danger disseminating erroneous amplified propagated press, online, social media. reported literature susceptible misinterpretation exaggeration media, appears be increased servers. final manuscript submitted published may differ significantly from posted on server. While reputable sites stress have reviewed actionable, contrasts somewhat dissemination. As delineated an earlier essay, origin usually credited Henry Oldenburg who, Editor Philosophical Transactions Royal Society, was first send submissions independent external evaluation.1Hall M.B. Oldenburg: Shaping Society. Oxford Press, Oxford2002Google He thereby initiated practice review, foundation journals. This periodically praised criticized since It we now undergoing another reexamination value relevance vehicle optimal transmission knowledge. Peer select publish always subject criticism. often said biggest variable how article graded. Reviewers critical they are, topics interested, rivalry admiration investigators. An examination I performed previously revealed nearly quarter were graded highest categories one reviewer lowest another. Even when two identical, their grades sometimes varied substantially. discussed above, even paper accepted, very lengthy delays diffusion emergence addressed above limitations. Papers can quickly after acceptance, reducing extent publication. internet provides venue commentaries transmitted. absence expense printing also conveys increase number articles published. surprising there progressive move Although value, begotten troublesome problem. A periodicals arisen, referred predatory publications, seem exist primarily generate profit. These characterized weak seemingly nonexistent ostensibly absent limited editorial boards. fee charged which, given cost posting considerable Such publications do found acceptance. However, greater damage than sense validity. longstanding alternate approach remedy presentation at meetings. Similar cursory best, while contrast those who attend meeting. typically no archiving presentation. Advocates important meetings covered detail variety sources present but authorities. Thus, maintained presented adequate substitute actionable. requires, course, accepts accuracy interpretation reporter. aggregate, existing limitations coupled again raised question editor knows, imperfections. passing crucible best assurance valid So, like democracy, imperfect, alternative available. providing advantages, investigative all well. valuable defining areas improve. my view, will remain supplement never replace them. Since its initiation, survived 360 years. continues accurate reliable method assess findings, surely become obsolete foreseeable future.