Sharing science at today’s pace: an experience with preprints - The BMJ

"The use of preprints in medical research is past-due, says Rohan Khera The BMJ has just published our peer reviewed research paper addressing the population impact of a recent overhaul of the clinical guidelines for hypertension in the United States and China. The study is important for my coauthors and me, not only as a scientific contribution, but because it was our first experience of using a preprint platform. Preprints represent an avenue for investigators to share their completed research openly with the community for critique and feedback before its vetting by the peer review process at journals and their eventual publication as manuscripts. Their use has been common in several areas of science, but has only recently gained visibility in biomedical and clinical research. Since the use of preprints is uncommon for studies published in major medical journals, we share our experience of the practical aspects of such an approach...."