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

Maxwell J Smith; Ross E G Upshur; Ezekiel J Emanuel

doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.305686

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

Am J Public Health. 2020 May 14;110(7):e1-e2. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2020.305686. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Maxwell J Smith¹, Ross E G Upshur¹, Ezekiel J Emanuel¹

Affiliation

¹ Maxwell J. Smith is with the School of Health Studies, Western University, London, ON. Ross E.G. Upshur is with the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. Ezekiel J. Emanuel is with the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Abstract

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. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print May 14, 2020: e1-e2. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2020.305686).

Publication types

Editorial