Supporting evidence-based policy-making:a case study of the Illicit Drug ReportingSystem in Australia*

Australia’s Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) was developed in 1996 to provide a cost-effective strategic early warning system for emergent trends in problematic drug use. Through the use of specific case-scenarios, the present article demonstrates the manner in which information obtained from drug information systems such as IDRS can broaden the knowledge base from which evidence-based policy decisions and drug control strategies can be developed. IDRS has achieved this through the wide dissemination of its findings, the establishment of mechanisms for intersectoral collaboration and the provision of a context within which to understand drug trends and appreciate their role in policy formation. The present case analysis also illustrates the high level of demand for the in-depth information provided by sentinel surveys of problematic drug users and by qualitative interviews with experts in the field of illicit drugs. This type of information is particularly useful at a policy level when it can be collected on a routine basis using comparable methods, to enable the early detection of trends in problematic drug use. When such information is provided to policy makers in a timely fashion and in a usable format, it can be used to inform the development of policies and strategies. The potential policy utility of data from IDRS will be realized through ongoing dialogue between researchers, officials from the health and law enforcement sectors and policy makers, a process that will be greatly facilitated by the communication channels and intersectoral relations established through the System.