The American Heart Association, Dallas, Texas, has launched Rapid Access Publication, a new process providing Internet publication ahead of print for journal articles from Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The journal's goal is to ``get the latest science into the hands of the practicing physician, which we hope will mean enhanced treatment and more lives saved from cardiovascular disease,'' says James Willerson, M.D., Editor- in-Chief of Circulation.

The first Rapid Access Publication manuscripts appeared online December 31, 2001. The next group of manuscripts will be available to subscribers January 15, 2002.

With Rapid Access Publication, original clinical and basic science manuscripts accepted for publication in Circulation are now published online within four to nine days of the author's return of corrected proofs to the publisher, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, and in the print journal within five to six weeks.

Specifically, Rapid Access Publication means that articles undergo a normal review process by Circulation, but once a manuscript is accepted and corrected proofs returned to the publisher, the time to publication is vastly reduced.

``One of our top priorities has been to provide Internet access to articles, thereby allowing vital information about new clinical research in heart disease and stroke to be disseminated as quickly as possible. New technology and new publication schedule now enable us to do that,'' adds Willerson.

By 2003, all American Heart Associations journals are expected to be Rapid Access Publications. Click here to see the Circulation home page.