Two decades since the launch of the journal Implementation Science, the gap between evidence and practice remains a persistent challenge. This session seeks to provoke further thinking and discussion, questioning our core assumptions about evidence, intervention, and impact.

The session begins with a presentation by A/Prof Ding Yew Yoong, focussed on two questions — what does useful evidence for translation look like? When is evidence sufficient for translating into practice and policy? He argues for a broader conception of evidence and for attributes of evidence that truly matter. Building on this, Prof Sharon Straus shows how to translate nuanced evidence equitably by integrating intersectionality as a non-negotiable lens for designing, implementing, and evaluating knowledge translation interventions, rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach. Prof Gillian Harvey then confronts some provocative questions: Is the knowledge generated from implementation science routinely applied in real world settings to inform, guide, and improve implementation practice? What future actions are needed to ensure that implementation science delivers on its promise to reduce the evidence-practice gap? This session concludes with a robust Panel Discussion and Q&A with its audience.