ACSM Official Pronouncements are documents that represent the college’s position or stance on a particular issue or topic. Historically, the ACSM Position Stand (PS) has been the primary official pronouncement of the college. While the PS remains our most authoritative and influential statement, there has been a growing need to develop additional types of official pronouncements. For example, the college may seek to make an official comment on a topic of high importance or with broad impact, but the topic does not reach the level of prominence that would warrant a PS. Or, perhaps the college desires to release an official statement in a timelier manner than the ACSM PS methodology would permit. 

Now, thanks to the work of the Pronouncements Committee (Michael Deschenes, Ph.D., FACSM, Chair) and the ACSM Board of Trustees, there are several new types of pronouncements that will facilitate the communication of science by the college. 

Three new documents have been approved by the ACSM board and added to the ACSM pronouncements portfolio:

ACSM Expert Consensus Statement: This statement draws on the expertise and opinion of three to five leaders in a specified field. The experts blend research evidence and content expertise to present the current scientific knowledge, highlight gaps and discuss new or emerging lines of thought. The purpose of the Expert Consensus Statement is to provide a mechanism by which the college can comment on prominent, emerging or newsworthy topics. It may also be used to update an older PS in cases where the PS remains accurate, but where new evidence or additional scientific detail can add to our understanding of the topic under consideration. 

ACSM Contemporary Issues Statement: This statement is designed to be a short, “quick-turnaround” document that will provide a mechanism by which the college can comment on emerging or “hot” topics in a timelier manner than via an ACSM PS or Expert Consensus Statement. Thus, this document facilitates comment on topics that necessitate a well-timed, evidence-informed, summary of the current state of knowledge and identification of research gaps. The first ACSM Contemporary Issues Statement will cover the topic of Energy Drinks and be published in Current Sports Medicine Reports in February 2018.

ACSM Call to Action Statement: The aim of this document is to direct attention to a current scientific/clinical challenge or need, and to highlight a series of actions that can be taken to address the identified challenge. The intent of this document is to provide a mechanism by which the college can make a concise, clear comment, while providing action-oriented direction in a timely and efficient manner on evolving topics of high importance or with broad impact. These statements may also address topics that are highly publicized and sparking discussion in the media which warrant a response from the college. 

All official pronouncements are published in an ACSM journal and are freely available. Position stands will continue to be published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise_®. The three new documents will also be published in an ACSM journal and freely available, but the specific journal will be decided by the editors-in-chief.