Australian Living Evidence Consortium (ALEC) is a collaboration of chronic and non-communicable disease groups currently leading a 'living evidence' approach to public health guideline development in Australia. By bringing together leading experts in evidence synthesis, guideline development and digital technologies this consortium will build a next-generation system for delivering reliable, accessible, up-to-date evidence in health services delivery.

Due to the rapidly unfolding COVID-19 crisis in Australia, in march 2020 the Australian Living Evidence Consortium pivoted to focus wholly on COVID-19 to support clinical groups struggling to best manage patients with the disease in the face of rapidly evolving research and data.

The result was the creation of the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce comprising teams of researchers, experts and clinicians who are working around the clock to deliver national guidelines for the clinical care of people with COVID-19 across primary, acute and critical care settings.

The Taskforce, which includes key Australian medical peak bodies such as the Australian Society of Infectious Diseases and the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, provides 'living' guidelines, updated with new research in near real-time in order to give reliable, up-to-the-minute advice to clinicians providing frontline care in this unprecedented health crisis.

In March 2020, the Foundation's Board approved re-directing its first $500,000 commitment in support of ALEC to fund the Taskforce to undertake this vital work.

In April 2020, the Australian Government announced funding to support the Taskforce, together with contributions from the Victorian Government, The Ian Potter Foundation and the Walter Cottman Endowment Fund managed by Equity Trustees.