Urgent, Exceptional, and Above the Rules: Author Entitlement in Biomedical Publishing

Entitlement in biomedical publishing manifests through attempts to bypass peer review, requests for expedited handling, and non-compliance with submission requirements. These practices increase editorial burden, threaten fairness, and may compromise scientific standards. Accelerated editorial workflows may be associated with higher correction and retraction rates. Entitlement reflects structural weaknesses in biomedical publishing systems rather than merely isolated instances of individual misconduct. To address this, journals need clear standards, transparent fast-track rules, mandatory reporting checklists, regular audits, and incentives that reward rigor over speed.