. 2020 Sep 7;151(Suppl 1):16–36. doi: 10.1002/ijgo.13334

Table 5.

Interpretation of strong and conditional (weak) recommendations according to GRADE. ^a , ^b

Implications	1 = Strong recommendation phrased as “we recommend”	2 = Conditional (weak) recommendation phrased as “we suggest”
For patients	Nearly all patients in this situation would accept the recommended course of action. Formal decision aids are not needed to help patients make decisions consistent with their values and preferences	Most patients in this situation would accept the suggested course of action
For clinicians	According to the guidelines, performance of the recommended action could be used as a quality criterion or performance indicator	Decision aids may help patients make a management decision consistent with their values and preferences
For policy makers	The recommendation can be adapted as policy in most situations	Stakeholders need to discuss the suggestion

^{^a}

Adapted with permission of the American Thoracic Society. © 2020 American Thoracic Society. Schunemann HJ, Jaeschke R, Cook DJ, et al. An official ATS statement: grading the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations in ATS guidelines and recommendations. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2006;174:605–614. The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine is an official journal of the American Thoracic Society. Readers are encouraged to read the entire article for the correct context at www.atsjournals.org/journal/ajrccm. The authors, editors, and The American Thoracic Society are not responsible for errors or omissions in adaptations.

^{^b}

Both caregivers and care recipients need to be involved in the decision‐making process before adopting recommendations.