Adjusting the use of preprints to accommodate the ‘quality’ factor in response to COVID-19

Resource type
Journal Article
Author/contributor
Title
Adjusting the use of preprints to accommodate the ‘quality’ factor in response to COVID-19
Abstract
Preprints are typically crude precursors of peer-reviewed papers that are placed almost immediately, save for some superficial screening, on an open-access repository to allow the information to reach readers quickly, circumventing the long-drawn process typically associated with processing in peer-reviewed journals. For early-career researchers who might be enthusiastic about obtaining some recognition for their efforts, or wanting open and public input about their work, preprints are certainly a useful publication choice. However, if health-related data and information have not been carefully scrutinised, they may pose a risk and may even serve as a source of public health misinformation. Surging growth and competition among preprint servers, coupled with a massive volume of COVID-19-related preprints, mainly on bioRxiv and medRxiv, as well as select indexing now being tested on PubMed, suggests that preprints are being increasingly used in the biomedical sciences. Stronger and more robust ethical policies are needed to screen preprints before they are released to the public, and even if this implies a slight delay in publication, it may increase academics' trust in this form of scientific information and communication. Clear and stringent ethical policies need to be urgently introduced by ethics groups such as COPE and the ICMJE, whose many member journals allow preprints to be posted before traditional peer review. Stringent ethical guidelines that treat misconduct equally in preprints and peer-reviewed papers will boost the integrity of academic publishing.
Publication
Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
Volume
16
Issue
4
Pages
477-481
Date
August 1, 2021
Journal Abbr
Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences
Language
en
ISSN
1658-3612
Accessed
05/10/2021, 18:38
Library Catalogue
ScienceDirect
Citation
Teixeira da Silva, J. A. (2021). Adjusting the use of preprints to accommodate the ‘quality’ factor in response to COVID-19. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 16(4), 477–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2021.04.003