Case Study - Rapid Reviews in Action

The Challenge

A global pharma company was preparing for an early HTA advice meeting for an oncology asset. The timeline was tight — just six weeks to provide a robust evidence base for pipeline positioning and comparator selection.

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A full systematic review wasn’t feasible. But submitting without structured evidence risked undermining credibility with HTA stakeholders.

Our Approach
We conducted a Rapid Review, balancing speed with rigor:

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1️⃣ Focused Scope – Narrowed the PICO to key comparators and survival outcomes only.
2️⃣ Streamlined Searches – Searched three core databases (Medline, Embase, CENTRAL) plus grey sources (trial registries, conference abstracts).
3️⃣ Simplified Screening – Used single-reviewer screening with verification checks.
4️⃣ Rapid Appraisal – Applied a lighter version of GRADE to classify study quality.
5️⃣ Transparent Reporting – Documented all shortcuts in methods to show where speed-related trade-offs were made.

The Results

✔️ Evidence synthesis was completed in 4 weeks
✔️ The company entered the HTA meeting with a credible, transparent evidence package
✔️ HTA advisors accepted the rapid review as fit-for-purpose for early advice
✔️ Findings directly informed economic model assumptions and trial design refinements

The Insight

Rapid reviews don’t replace systematic reviews — but when time is short, they provide credible, defensible evidence that supports faster decision-making.

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👉 Lesson Learned: The key to success isn’t cutting corners — it’s being transparent about methods so decision-makers trust both the findings and the process.