COVID-19 evidence synthesis in HIQA

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in December 2019. In response to the evolving pandemic, the international research evidence base is rapidly expanding.

HIQA established a COVID-19 Evidence Synthesis Team within its Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Directorate. With the support of its Expert Advisory Group (EAG), the team conducted evidence synthesis to inform national strategic decision-making. These evidence syntheses were performed at the request of the Department of Health, the COVID Advisory Group and groups tasked with the national COVID-19 response. This work helped ensure rapid access to the best available evidence relevant to SARS-CoV-2 to inform decision-making at each stage of the pandemic.

Click here for an overview of our COVID-19 evidence synthesis process.

Documents completed by HIQA to inform the national COVID-19 response

HIQA has published a range of evidence-based reports to inform decision-making, health service planning and policy formation. At the request of NPHET, a number of these reports were updated on a regular basis to reflect the latest developments related to COVID-19.

Click here to view our most recent publications

The following evidence-based publications are currently underway

No publications are currently in progress.

Advice drafted on the basis of our evidence syntheses and Expert Advisory Group meetings

Following feedback from HIQA’s Expert Advisory Group, the COVID-19 evidence synthesis team develops an advice document for each policy question posed. This section contains links to the pages holding these advice documents. Each page also includes the supporting information (evidence synthesis publication and related protocols) which informed the advice.

Click here to search for particular advice.

This section contains information about, and links to the meetings of, HIQA’s COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group (EAG)

During EAG meetings the HIQA COVID-19 evidence synthesis team presents their most recent work and asks for input from the EAG to help develop advice to inform the national COVID-19 response. The EAG may request clarification on the work presented, and provides feedback to inform the generation of advice.

Click here for the current membership of our Expert Advisory Group
Click here for the terms of reference of the Expert Advisory Group

See below for links to the minutes of the EAG meetings:

Read all our COVID-19 Publications here