Potential therapies and interventions for COVID-19 are emerging and developing rapidly. In a response to this public health emergency, the European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) aims to support health policy in preparation for evidence-based purchasing. To monitor the emerging evidence, a new EUnetHTA product was created: Rolling Collaborative Reviews (RCRs).

RCRs are living documents that are descriptive in nature, updated monthly, and centrally coordinated. They are based on the following three sources of information: (i) published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) presented as a summary of efficacy and safety data (synthesized for a network meta-analysis conducted by the Department of Epidemiology Lazio Regional Health Service, Italy); (ii) published prospective observational studies for safety results, provided by the Map of COVID-19 Evidence conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Norway; and (iii) RCTs registered in clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, EudraCT Register, and the ISRCTN registry). Additionally, detailed stopping and starting rules were defined.

As of November 2020, 14 RCRs were ongoing. From the initial list of RCRs, one was suspended due to lacking effectiveness and two moved on to rapid collaborative reviews due to European Medicines Agency approvals. Four RCRs are updated on a bimonthly basis due to a lack of high-quality evidence, and five new RCRs will be started because of promising clinical studies.

RCRs can be a means of providing timely and continuous policy support, but they require a high level of coordinated effort.