Evidence-based Policy-making and the Influence of Intangibles ‘The $200 Million Decision’ case study provides insight into agenda setting and policy formulation. It highlights the place of the social construction of issues and policy windows in agenda setting. Also, the case study allows us to reflect upon the role of consultation, collaboration and advocacy in framing persuasive policy recommendations. The power of evidence-based policy formulation as well as the importance of other intangible factors in influencing policy decisions are revealed in the New Zealand Government’s $200 million decision.
The $200 Million Decision
During the 1990s, New Zealand experienced an epidemic of group B meningococcal disease, for which there was no
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The Government agreed to the recommendation from the Ministry to fund the vaccine program. Policy Issues and Tools
The key policy issue was the serious public health threat that the epidemic presented. The disease can cause death or disability, and children and people with low immune systems were most at risk (New Zealand Ministry of Health b). The Ministry of Health is responsible for the national health and disability system and for responding to the problem (New Zealand Ministry of Health a). The New Zealand population were central to the issue. The higher occurrence of the disease in Maori and Pacific Islander communities reflected societal inequalities. The Ministry of Health identified a vaccine as the most effective tool for combating the epidemic. The vaccine would be free and non-compulsory and available to all New Zealanders under 20 years old. Chiron Corporation, the pharmaceutical company engaged to develop the vaccine, was an additional player in the policy development. Other policy instruments could include addressing poverty and poor housing but these approaches were more complex than a vaccine (Tyson 2007).
A Window into the Policy Agenda
The meningococcal epidemic highlights the significance of social construction in bringing issues to the policy agenda (Colebatch 2009; Hill and Varone 2014). The epidemic was in the public eye for a number of reasons (Masters 2009). It is an emotive issue — the disease
Best starts off with the idea of a political network focusing on specific social issues for policy change, Best calls this policy domains. Best uses the side of Congress that deals with health, like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as an example of a political network focused on the policy domain for health (201). Best goes on to explain John W. Kingdon’s model
At the beginning of this article, the author brings up the fields of policy studies, how to understand the policy making and how they
The policy cycle suggested by Althaus, Bridgman and Davis consists of a continuous wheel which nominally begins with the task of 'identifying issues ' and progresses through 'policy analysis ', 'policy instruments ', consultation ', 'coordination ', 'decision ', 'implementation ' and 'evaluation ' before beginning the cycle again (Althaus et al 2013: 37-40). The authors admit that policy rarely actually follows this model sequentially in the steps outlined above and is really meant as more of a guide to good policy, rather than an evaluation of actual practice (Althaus et al 2013: 40-42).
Africa has the highest incidence of meningococcal disease, tuberculosis, and malaria because of overcrowding in many villages. There is an area in sub-Saharan Africa called the Meningitis Belt that stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia with over 20,000 reported cases and 2,000 deaths every year (Healthgrades editorial staff, 2015). During the dry season in Africa, from December through June, meningitis epidemics occur with the three major areas infected being Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Chad. The most recent outbreak of the meningococcal disease reported in the United States occurred as meningitis in the dorms at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Princeton University in New Jersey in December of 2013 (Doheny, 2013). When the outbreak occurred at these two universities it was caused from serotype B of the disease and resulted in one death. Since the current meningococcal vaccine does not cover the serotype B bacteria the FDA allowed the use of a special vaccine from New Zealand to treat the outbreaks (Burrell, 2015). One in five US teens have not had their first recommended dose of meningococcal vaccine and for those who have had the first dose of the vaccine,
In this paper we will discuss the final stages of how a topic becomes a policy. The paper will discuss formulation, implementation, and the legislation stage. These stages must be done in this order to ensure the policy is being formed the correct way and not scattered around. This paper will also consist of the evaluation stage, analysis stage, and revision stage and describe the purpose and methodologies process for evaluating and revising a public policy.
Vaccines have had an undeniably positive impact on society, and are considered to be one of the most effective ways of protecting oneself and others from harmful diseases. Due to vaccinations, smallpox has been officially eradicated since 1980 and polio has been reduced to scarce singular incidents (Bt.cdc.gov, 2007; Immunise.health.gov.au, 2015). Similarly measles has been eliminated within Australia since 2014, however the
Sufficient data shows that vaccines has made a major improvement in decreasing suffering and death of infectious diseases and syndrome. And yet, despite the mounting evidence that reassure the safety and value of vaccination, public health continuous faces the dilemma over individual choice, autonomy and protection of the entire population at risk. Children in developing countries now have more access to vaccines, yet, the debate continue over the requirement, including mandates immunization during public health emergency and school-aged. This paper addresses the framework for policy and laws that are associated with immunization that protect our children from infectious diseases.
“Policy research puts the spotlight on the variables that indicate relationships of social problems and other variables that public policy can manoeuvre” (Weimer and Vining, 2011, p. 25). Therefore, it is understandable that a better-educated and informed public that is present nowadays is more concerned about governments doing ‘the right thing’. Likewise, there is more and more scepticism about government interventions, especially when they inherit monetary spending (Davies et al., 2000, pp. 1–2). These are only a few reasons why in the field of policy making evidence became a substantial part. According to the vast amount of literature and the importance assigned to this topic from governments globally, one could think we have arrived in a “scientifically guided society” (Lindblom, 1990, pp. 213–214), (Nutley and Webb, 2000, p. 13). The purpose of this essay is to answer the question, if the barriers to evidence-based policy making are much smaller than most critics suggest. For this reason, a short introduction and the current debate about evidence-based policy will be given in the first instance. Secondly, known barriers of evidence-based policy making like timing or resources and ways to overcome them, will be presented. Based on these findings a concept that explains the claim that the barriers of evidence-based policymaking (EBP) are much smaller
Vaccination is widely considered one of the greatest medical achievements of modern civilization (Harvard Law School, 2007). Childhood deaths from infectious diseases were commonplace less than a generation ago; however they’re now increasingly rare due to vaccines. In order to be effective at eliminating communicable diseases, vaccines must be administrated to a sufficient level of people in the community. However, there has been plenty of controversy over the morality, ethics, effectiveness and safety of immunization. It has been argued in the past whether laws should be introduced that render some vaccines obligatory for all children (Singer, 2009). These objections may lead to an unacceptably high number of exemptions, which can compromise vaccination programs and leave the population susceptible to outbreaks. Parents argue that it is they who should have the ultimate decision-making right on whether or not to vaccinate their children. Whereas nurses and health care officials oppose that view on the grounds that by making vaccination rates in children incomplete, we expose all children to contracting the vaccine-preventable diseases. The most recent Australian Childhood Immunization Register coverage report illustrates that 92.1% of children aged 12 to 15 months have been fully immunized in Australia (ACIR, 2014). A survey was conducted for the Mansfield community to analyze and identify the factors which prevents them from vaccinating their children.The
It’s undisputable that the world is evolving into a global village. People tend to lose sight of the real problems going on in the world like the importance of a thriving country, such as Australia, helping unindustrialized countries with their problems and lack of resources, especially health wise. It should be a necessity that Australia donates money to the vaccine programs in developing countries as they are less fortunate as we too used to be a developing country. Other factors such as the importance of keeping good relationships with other countries, less chance the virus will spread if it’s treated there and by financially supporting them we save millions of lives each year.
Vaccines are administered to prevent the contraction of detrimental epidemic diseases, the scientific evidence that proves the effectivity of vaccination is abundant, and so why is there an adverse opposition to inoculations? Australia currently has no laws mandating the compulsory vaccination of children, despite the Federal Government’s decision to implement a mandatory registration of child vaccination records: enabling financial rebates. Inoculations provide immunity to a plethora of diseases, subsequently eradicating the disease whilst ultimately saving children’s lives. Comparatively, vaccines
Vaccination programs in Australia aim to increase national immunisation rates to protect children against highly contagious illnesses such as whooping cough, rubella, chicken pox and measles. (Australian Government Department of Health, 2015) Infants younger than 5 years of age receive vaccines under the National Immunisation Schedule, whilst high-school students across the state are also currently required to obtain vaccinations in years 8 and 10 to create improve health outcomes. (The Sunday Mail, 2008) From a biological point of view, it is scientifically proven that failure to implement this policy will result in future consequences to the health of community members.
A Narrative Policy Framework for public policy offers insight into why policy changes can occur (Jones & McBeth, 2010), even when data is incomplete. In order to understand why policies change we must understand the stories, images, and symbols that surround an issue. Public opinion is not always changed by policy details, but is often influenced by narratives. The telling of a compelling story can be among the most important aspects of mobilizing support for a cause (Smith & Larimer,
Now, many once-forgotten diseases are reappearing. TIME Magazine reported that “In 2014, the U.S. experienced a major outbreak of measles that totaled 383 cases and was primarily spreading among an unvaccinated Amish community in Ohio.” (Measles Outbreak) The number of cases of these diseases is going up when it can be easily prevented. Worldwide, “Measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children even though a safe and cost-effective vaccine is available.” (World Health
My difficult questions surround the doing and the reading of the policy process. There are three areas that I would like further explore: the role of citizen participation in the policy process, importance of critical and postmodern perspectives in understanding public policy, and the role of government.