Coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level are currently the leading contenders to join traditional risk factors in routine clinical assessment of coronary heart disease risk. I do not believe that there is sufficient data to use either at present, and I read with interest the thoughtful critique of CAC scanning by Ridker.1 No conflicts of interest are reported, but Ridker is a co-inventor on patents held by Brigham and Women's Hospital that use high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in assessing cardiovascular disease risk. Having a financial stake in a competitor of CAC scanning for coronary artery disease risk stratification is an important conflict of interest to share with readers.