Speakers:
Richard Sever
Lisa Jolly
Joanne Walker
Tim Koder
Meghan Johnson-Watson
Janet Davies, PhD

A preprint pandemic: The evolving role of preprint servers in the COVID-19 era (30-minutes)
This session will consider the impact of COVID-19 on the traditional peer-review process and discuss a potential role of preprint servers in relieving pressure on journals. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a surge in publication activity, including submissions to preprint servers such as medRxiv and bioRxiv. However, while there is an urgent need for the rapid dissemination of high-quality data, it is more important than ever to ensure standards and scientific integrity are maintained. Failure to do so, may pose risks not only to public health, but also to public confidence in the scientific process, at a time when trust in science is critical. This session will review how the use of preprint servers has evolved during the COVID-19 era, and whether this has implications for the future prospects of these servers in medical publishing. Attendees will learn how preprint servers have adapted to meet the challenges faced by the preprint surge and hear how their improved screening processes have helped to maintain quality.

Learning objectives:

• Discuss how COVID-19 has impacted the traditional peer review process and consider whether preprint servers may be part of an interim solution
• Understand how the role of preprint servers has evolved as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Learn how preprint servers have adapted their screening and vetting processes to ensure scientific integrity is maintained in the face of a preprint surge
• Consider the prospects of preprint servers for medical publishing in the post-COVID era

Debate - to preprint or not? (30-minutes)
COVID-19 has transformed the way in which medical research is communicated, with publishers made to adapt to the sudden deluge of manuscripts on SARS-CoV-2 and global congresses forced to move to online platforms. Perhaps the most publicized change in medical communication has been the increased use of preprints – versions of a manuscript posted on a public server before formal peer review and/or publication – and preprint servers, with both receiving a considerable amount of media attention since the start of the pandemic. Preprints not only increase the speed of medical communication but also provide other researchers with the opportunity to build and comment on the work presented. However, despite the benefits, the use of preprints and preprint servers remains a controversial topic within the medical publishing community, with many stakeholders concerned that preprint servers sacrifice quality for speed and quantity and that the lack of formal peer review may also lead to the misinterpretation of results by the media and the public. During this session participants will debate the benefits and risks of preprints for different stakeholders in medical publishing, including any funder-specific considerations. From health economics and outcomes research to pre-clinical studies and clinic trials, the types of research that could and should be preprinted will also be discussed.

Learning objectives:

• Gain a greater awareness of the benefits of preprints and understand the potential risks for each of the different stakeholders in medical publishing
• Understand the different processes preprint servers have in place to mitigate the risk of preprints
• Be informed on the nuances of research types and their potential benefit and risk levels for preprinting