Today, EUnetHTA - European Network for Health Technology Assessment - has launched its COVID-19-related repository of publications and outputs. This repository responds to one of the follow-up actions to the Commission Communication on “Guidelines on COVID-19 in vitro diagnostic tests and their performance”, and is linked to the database recently set up by JRC devoted to testing devices. The repository gathers publications by EUnetHTA and by HTA organisations on testing methods and devices, treatment options, and other public health measures relevant to COVID-19.

The repository also includes the first EUnetHTA Report on COVID-19, the ‘Rapid Collaborative Review on the role of antibody tests for novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 in the management of the current pandemic’ that has recently been finalised. This report provides consistent results on diagnostic accuracy estimates and on the strong dependency of these estimates on time since the onset of symptoms, and makes specific and explicit references to the correct use of test results and to the impact they have on the individuals and on public health for a comprehensive risk-benefit evaluation.

Reports on potential treatments for COVID-19 are also of interest for HTA bodies. By conducting ‘Rolling Collaborative Reviews’, EUnetHTA’s experts monitor the development of evidence on COVID-19 treatments (ongoing trials) and continuously assess incoming data in the form of a living document. This format responds to “acute” needs expressed by policy makers, and aims to facilitate the development of HTA reports to be carried out either by EUnetHTA or individual agencies.

Background:

The COVID-19 pandemic requires policy makers and public health authorities to make difficult decisions, often under conditions of uncertainty and under time pressure. In these special circumstances, researched, timely and reliable information is essential for developing a suitable coordinated response to the pandemic. With this in mind, EUnetHTAhas taken the decision to mobilise its resource and prioritise COVID-19-related initiatives above other work for the next twelve months.

EUnetHTA Joint Action 3 is the scientific and technical component of EU cooperation on HTA. It was launched in June 2016, and runs until June 2021. The Joint Action is co-funded by the EU Health Programme and includes government appointed organisations and a large number of relevant regional agencies and not-for-profit organisations that produce or contribute to HTA in Europe (i.e. 86 organisations from 26 Member States plus Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine and United Kingdom).

For more information:

• EUnetHTA - COVID-19 Response
• EU action - Health technology assessment