President’s Message

Board of director Jennifer Barsch

April 2022

CSAM-SMCA 2022 Annual Scientific Conference

The theme for our 2022 Annual Scientific Conference this year is, “What’s Next:  The Future of Addiction Medicine in Canada.”  The theme resonates with many aspects of addiction medicine at this time.  “What’s Next” with the pandemic?  Will there be subsequent waves with new variants, which disproportionally affect the vulnerable, including those with substance use disorders?  “What’s Next” for the potency and composition of street drugs in Canada?  Will we continue to see highly toxic opioids, mixtures of unknown composition, increased use of hallucinogens?  “What’s Next” in the opioid epidemic?  Will there be further increases in the numbers of deaths due to toxic opioid ingestion?  Are there new initiatives to address the opioid epidemic?  “What’s Next” for virtual care in Canada?  How can we maximize virtual care platforms to reach patients in rural areas, support recovery, and help patients who struggle to engage with treatment?  “What’s Next” in pharmacotherapy for Addiction Medicine?  Will we see new trials for medications to reduce risk of relapse to Stimulant Use Disorder?  What’s the evidence for hydromorphone to reduce morbidity and mortality in Opioid Use Disorder?  “What’s Next” for treatment programs?  Are virtual programs or mutual support groups effective?  Are there advances in talk therapy that are cost effective and accessible?  So many, many questions, all captured in the theme of “What’s Next”.  The theme also recognizes the unpredictability of our lives these days, and the opportunities and challenges of predicting, What’s Next? 

Call For Abstracts

Our call for abstracts is now open and we invite you to contribute to the success of our conference.  We have expanded the types of abstracts this year to include TED-style talks and a story telling session, as well as expanded options for in person posters and oral presentations.  Plan now to join us in Saskatoon November 3-5. You won’t want to miss finding out, “What’s Next”?

The Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine is a national society of medical professionals and scientists committed to helping Canadians understand, accept, and recover from substance use disorders.

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