The issue I would like to discuss in my policy intervention is a discussion on tighter controls on the opioid distribution.  The opioid crisis has become one of the most talked about issues facing the country today.  Thousands of people overdose each day, and it has become a seriously pressing issue especially within the United States.  In 2018, over 67,367 people alone died from overdose, the majority of these from opioids (cdc.gov).  It has become hotly debated over who is at fault for causing the crisis.  Many people point fingers at the big-name companies that produce these drugs as they say they have produced them in excess and are pursing doctors to prescribe them.  This entire process has created a network of kickbacks where doctors, big-pharma, and others profit and benefit.  The only people that are getting hurt are those who are prescribed opioids and become addicted.  Such a large issue calls for stricter regulations regarding opioid distribution.  Many policy makers have begun implementing policies to make it more difficult to prescribe opioids and this should be further investigated.

The opioid crisis was intentionally caused.  The epidemic/crisis was intentionally caused out of greed, primarily corporate greed.  Multiple big name pharma companies were recently brought to court and lost forcing them to shell out billions in reparations for pushing doctors to prescribe their medication.  For the doctors to be motivated to do this, big pharma was paying the doctors significant amounts of money.  This process intentionally increased opioid usage and dependency on the drug.  Therefore, this epidemic could have been avoided had opioids not been pushed so rapidly into the market.

The policy instrument I will most likely use when crafting this policy change is a system change.  A system change is necessary for this issue because the companies that are controlling the opioid distributions re extremely powerful.  They are so powerful and so influential that they influence polices that come from the United States government and out of the Supreme Court.  Therefore a significant largescale change is needed where the influence of big-pharma is reduced so they can be held responsible for their actions.

Works Cited:

“Drug Overdose Deaths.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 Mar. 2020, www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html#:~:text=In%202018%2C%2067%2C367%20drug%20overdose,driver%20of%20drug%20overdose%20deaths.

Leslie E. Sekerka & Lauren Benishek. “Thick as Thieves? Big Pharma Wields Its Power with the Help of Government Regulation: Emory University School of Law: Atlanta, GA.” Emory University School of Law, law.emory.edu/ecgar/content/volume-5/issue-2/essays/thieves-pharma-power-help-government-regulation.html#:~:text=Given%20its%20mega%2Dprofits%2C%20Big,administrators%2C%20hospitals%2C%20and%20consumers.