Peer review came about to ensure new scientific claims are vetted by scientists prior to publication. The practice is captured in the Ingelfinger Rule, named for the former editor in chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. This set a standard that respected publications would not publish claims that had been pre-promoted prior to academic review. This process of checking and rechecking any scientific discovery or research claim for accuracy and bias – before it reaches public audiences – serves as a guardrail to prevent the spread of inaccurate or flawed research.