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Blog: The Opioid Abuse Crisis is a Rare Area of Bipartisan Consensus

2016

The U.S. is experiencing political polarization over many issues, including health. There are few examples where Democrats and Republicans in Congress, as well as those among the public who identify with the two parties, agree on a set of policies. One of these exceptions involves policies to address the opioid abuse crisis facing the country today. Public opinion polls conducted in 2015 and 2016 examine this unusual bipartisan consensus. The two obvious questions are (1) why is such a consensus possible in an otherwise highly polarized political climate? And (2) what are the areas of bipartisan consensus on policies to address the opioid abuse problem? 

 

Source:

Blendon R, McMurtry C, Benson J et al. The Opioid Abuse Crisis is a Rare Area of Bipartisan Consensus. Health Affairs Blog 2016; Sept 12. http://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20160912.056470/full