ACS Guidelines | Gaps Within Evidence Gaps | JACC

JACC Deputy Editor Lesley Curtis, PhD, speaks with authors Celina Yong, MD, FACC, and Robert M. Califf, MD, on this unique perspective piece published in JACC's June 2 issue. Drs. Califf and Yong discuss their viewpoint article on 25 years of ACS (acute coronary syndrome) guidelines, highlighting both progress and persistent evidence gaps. While they note improvements in the proportion of recommendations based on high-quality evidence, they emphasize the fragility of this progress, the lack of applicability to diverse patient populations, and the need for broader, more inclusive research efforts to address everyday clinical questions. Integration of evidence with a focus on professionalism, quality, and communication continues to be necessary to avoid relegating medicine to provision of services for fees with an emphasis on the most profitable services, but instead a professional calling to learn continuously and improve the well-being of all patients.