Medical Leaders Convene in Nation's Capital to Explore Latest Science and Research on Addiction Treatment

March 8, 2023 (Rockville, MD) – The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) will be hosting its in-person, live 54^th Annual Conference: Innovations in Addiction Medicine and Science from April 13 to April 16, 2023, in Washington, DC. 

WHAT: The ASAM 54th Annual Conference will showcase best practices and the latest science, research, and innovations from leading experts in the field. Developed for healthcare professionals dedicated to increasing access to and improving the quality of addiction treatment, the conference will include the following plenary sessions: 

• Opening General Session – The Science of Happiness – Speaker: Gillian Mandich, The International Happiness Institute of Health Science Research.
• General Session – Compassionate Approaches in the Criminal Legal System – Speakers from Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, National Association of Drug Court Professionals, O’Neill Institute, and Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University.
• Policy & Science General Session – Perspectives on Harm Reduction: The Present and the Potential – Speakers from American Institutes for Research, JR Consulting, Network for Public Health Law, US Food and Drug Administration, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Concurrent sessions on relevant topics will include: 

• Understanding methadone initiation in the fentanyl era
• Exploring telehealth solutions to mitigate buprenorphine barriers
• Navigating opioid prescription disruptions
• Latest research on prevalent substances such as cannabis, psychedelics, stimulants, nicotine, and alcohol

WHY: The United States has recorded over 100,000 overdose deaths in a 12-month period. According to the SAMHSA, 40.3 million people over age 12 lived with a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2020, yet just 2.6 million (6.5 percent) received any SUD treatment. To prevent further loss of life, the medical community must be empowered with the latest innovations and best practices in addiction treatment. The ASAM 54th Annual Conference, developed by physicians who treat and research addiction, will provide valuable education on ways for attendees to integrate evidence-based addiction treatment care for patients. 

WHO: Leaders in the addiction medicine field that represent a complete care team, such as ASAM leaders, physicians, university researchers, treatment providers, and healthcare professionals.  

WHEN: April 13 to April 16, 2023

WHERE: Washington, DC, Gaylord National Resort

LEARN MORE: 2023 Annual Conference

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About ASAM

The American Society of Addiction Medicine, founded in 1954, is a professional society representing over 7,000 physicians, clinicians, and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine. ASAM is dedicated to increasing access and improving the quality of addiction treatment, educating physicians and the paublic, supporting research and prevention, and promoting the appropriate role of physicians in the care of patients with addiction. For more information, visit www.ASAM.org.

About Addiction

Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. People with addiction use substances or engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences. Prevention efforts and treatment approaches for addiction are generally as successful as those for other chronic diseases. Learn more here.