From the Editor

Abstract

The focus of this issue of AMWA Journal is the peer review process for medical publications. The peer review system in medical publication is undergoing its most radical transformation since becoming universal in the mid-20th century. Originally established as a mechanism to manage government research funding and a deluge of papers after World War II, peer review has long been treated as the highest standard of scientific validity. However, the system is now buckling under the weight of an unprecedented volume of submissions, severe reviewer fatigue and shortages, and a crisis of reproducibility. To combat these systemic vulnerabilities, medical publishing relatively recently has turned toward artificial intelligence (AI) to automate and streamline the vetting process. Although this technological advancement promises unparalleled speed, it simultaneously risks amplifying the systemic failures of an already fragile institution.