Publication Ethics During Public Health Emergencies Such as the COVID-19 Pandemic

Public health emergencies require real-time, accurate information to guide effective responses. Rapid publication of information can, therefore, advance both the scientific validity and the social value of research conducted in these contexts. Consequently, medical journals place a high priority on rapidly publishing reports on these emergencies, which the media often report on to the public. Today, the focus is on the rapid publication of research related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Tomorrow, it might be an influenza pandemic or a crisis related to a vaping-related illness. ( . Published online ahead of print May 14, 2020: e1-e2. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.305686).