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The goal of this analysis is to use the social construction framework to determine 1)
whether the Oregon Drug Take Back Program stakeholder group can design a public policy that
will ultimately reduce water contamination from the improper disposal of unused
pharmaceuticals from the general public, and 2) use the framework to determine what type of
policy tool the stakeholder group could use. Policy design is defined, “as the process by which
policies are designed, both through technical analysis and through the political process to achieve
a particular goal” (Birkland 2005:157).
This paper will first use a literature review to conduct a technical analysis on the various
issues and constraints associated with pharmaceutical contamination. Next, it will analyze past,
ongoing and proposed public policies that deal with unused residential pharmaceuticals in order
to gain knowledge on why the policies succeed or fail. Third it will use the demonstrated
behaviors of the stakeholder group members to place them into the social construction
framework. Last, the analysis will use the information gained the literature review, other public
policies and the framework to determine what type of policy tool the stakeholder group will use
to design the public policy. While recognizing long term care facilities, hospitals, and
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veterinarian clinics are also sources of contamination, this analysis will not address them at this
time. |
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