There are issues with "peer-review". For a journal, they ask professionals in the field to review the manuscript. I have done quite a few. I have also edited books where I solicited reviewers and it was interesting to me that state and tribal bios with expertise in the subject at hand would not review.

There is also what the state and feds use for "peer review" of internal documents. That, in my experience, is more of having the choir review it. More for political/policy concordance.

If something is peer reviewed in a journal there is often responses solicited and a subsequent discussion as to why the conclusions were reached.

From experience, I know the system is not perfect but is is a damnsight better than a News Release.