The NICE COVID‐19 rapid guideline on haematopoietic stem cell transplantation: development, implementation and impact

A new coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 emerged at the start of 2020 with rapid worldwide spread. It is the causative agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The resulting pandemic has been challenging for centres undertaking autologous and allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT). One of the main risks in HSCT is infection susceptibility, including viral infections, which are often more severe and life‐threatening.1

In response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the first version of the COVID‐19 rapid guideline for HSCT (NG164) on 1 April 20202; this was updated on 29 July 2020 in response to the changing context of the pandemic. The British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (BSBMTCT) and the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) also developed detailed guidance to support transplant centres.3-5

This paper describes the development and update processes for NICE NG164, detailing the rationale behind the recommendations, implementation and the impact of COVID‐19 on HSCT activity in the UK compared with 2019, based on registrations in the BSBMTCT registry. The full NICE guidance can be obtained from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng164.