Models of policy-making and their relevance for drug research

Drug and Alcohol Review
Alison Ritter, Gabriele Bammer

Abstract

Researchers are often frustrated by their inability to influence policy. We describe models of policy-making to provide new insights and a more realistic assessment of research impacts on policy. We describe five prominent models of policy-making and illustrate them with examples from the alcohol and drugs field, before drawing lessons for researchers. Policy-making is a complex and messy process, with different models describing different elements. We start with the incrementalist model, which highlights small amendments to policy, as occurs in school-based drug education. A technical/rational approach then outlines the key steps in a policy process from identification of problems and their causes, through to examination and choice of response options, and subsequent implementation and evaluation. There is a clear role for research, as we illustrate with the introduction of new medications, but this model largely ignores the dominant political aspects of policy-making. Such political aspects include the influence of interest groups, and we describe models about power and pressure groups, as well as advocacy coalitions, and the challenges they pose for researchers. These are illustrated with reference to the alcohol industry, a...Continue Reading

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Citations

Oct 18, 2012·The Spine Journal : Official Journal of the North American Spine Society·Douglas P GrossRachelle Buchbinder
Apr 17, 2012·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Alison Ritter, Kari Lancaster
Jan 23, 2016·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Eric A RatliffSheryl A McCurdy
Dec 15, 2015·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Suzanne Fraser
Jul 20, 2010·Drug and Alcohol Review·Alison Ritter
Feb 13, 2017·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Lorraine Mazerolle
Feb 28, 2020·Circulation Research·Cheng-Kai HuangThomas Thum
Mar 29, 2020·Health Research Policy and Systems·Eleanor Messham, Sally Sheard
May 25, 2020·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Alex Stevens
Mar 10, 2021·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Brian C Kelly, Mike Vuolo

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