General Session – Understanding the Evolving Drug Landscape: From Epidemiology to Clinical Practice

Friday, April 24, 2026

4:45 PM - 6:00 PM PT

Location: Seaport Ballroom, Level 2

Presenter(s)

TG

Traci C. Green, PhD, MSc

Professor
Brandeis University, Heller School for Social Policy and Management The Warren Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University Brown University School of Public Health
Brandeis University/Brown University
Wayland, Massachusetts

Slides
Joseph D'Orazio, MD, FAAEM, FACMT, FASAM, FCPP

Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Slides
Kirsten E. Smith, PhD, LMSW

Consultant
Dial Square LLC
Baltimore, Maryland

Slides

Moderator(s)

Timothy J. Wiegand, MD, DFACMT, FAACT, DFASAM

Director of Medicine, Toxicology and Addiction Consulting PLLC and CMO Toxicology Consults
Medicine Toxicology & Addiction Consulting PLLC
University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry
Rochester, New York

This session explores the rapidly evolving illicit drug landscape, emphasizing how shifting epidemiologic trends and an increasingly unpredictable drug supply are reshaping clinical practice. Speakers highlight recent changes in overdose patterns, including a historic decline in deaths alongside persistent disparities across populations and regions. The discussion examines the growing complexity of the drug supply, including variability in fentanyl composition, the emergence of novel substances (e.g., nitazenes, medetomidine), and the role of additives and polysubstance exposure. Panelists also demonstrate how community drug-checking data provide real-time insights into these changes and inform both clinical decision-making and public health responses. Finally, the session connects these epidemiologic and pharmacologic trends to practical clinical implications, including recognition and management of new toxidromes and the need for adaptive, data-informed care strategies.

Learning Objectives:

Learners will be able to:

Analyze evolving epidemiologic trends in illicit drug use and the drug supply
Recognize pharmacologic and clinical features of emerging substances
Apply data-informed, policy-aware clinical strategies

Disclosure(s):

Traci C. Green, PhD, MSc: No financial relationships to disclose

Joseph D'Orazio, MD, FAAEM, FACMT, FASAM, FCPP: No financial relationships to disclose

Kirsten E. Smith, PhD, LMSW: International Plant and Herbal Alliance: Consultant/Advisory Board (Terminated); Todd, Brown, and Frost: Consultant/Advisory Board (Terminated)

Timothy J. Wiegand, MD, DFACMT, FAACT, DFASAM: No financial relationships to disclose