4th Annual Opioid Use Disorder Conference
April 15, 2026
Baylor College of Medicine
Main Campus
1 Baylor Plaza
Houston, Texas, 77030
The opioid use epidemic has been at the forefront of societal concerns in the US. With the DEA-MATE Act, all providers have to be able to adeptly prescribe and manage Opioid Use Disorder and related issues, which have proliferated. Treating teams face multiple challenges, including the need to treat chronic pain, the over-prescription of opioids, the need for effective alternatives, and the illicit use of opioids. The focus of this conference is pharmacological, psychotherapeutic treatments of OUD, along with overviews of the impact on families and children. We are proud to involve multiple community organizations that provide substance use treatments so attendees can have a comprehensive view of how to get patients effective OUD treatments in and out of the medical system. A main goal for the attendees is to be empowered and confident to initiate and/or maintain treatments for OUD.
This conference will help attendees earn education credits in pain management and the prescription of opioids needed for the DEA-MATE Act.
Conference Agenda
| Time | Lecture Title/Scope | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 8 - 8:15 a.m. | Breakfast | |
| 8:15 - 8:30 a.m. | Opening Statements | Sandeep Markan, M.D. Asim Shah, M.D. Nidal Moukaddam, M.D., Ph.D. |
| 8:30 - 9 a.m. | Opioid Use Disorder Prescribing Principles | Benjamin Li, M.D. |
| 9 - 9:30 a.m. | Harris Health & Houston Recovery Center Collaboration | Asim Shah, M.D. |
| 9:30 - 10 a.m. | City-wide View from the Houston Forensic Science Center | Marissa Vergara |
| 10 - 10:30 a.m. | Emergency Medicine at the Forefront of Opioid Use Disorder Management: Updates from Ben Taub Hospital | Stephen Harding, M.D. |
| 10:30 - 10:45 a.m. | Coffee Break | |
| 10:45 - 11:15 a.m. | Office Based Addiction Treatment (OBAT) for Harris County-Opportunities & Challenges | Mohammad Zare, M.D. |
| 11:15 - 11:45 a.m. | Travis County Overview for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment | Lief E. Fenno, M.D. |
| 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. | Anesthesia Advances to Mitigate & Minimize Post-operative Opioid Use | Ameer Shbeeb, M.D. |
| 12:15 - 1 p.m. | Lunch | |
| 1 - 1:30 p.m. | The Role of the Community Pharmacist in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access | Doug Thornton, M.D. |
| 1:30 - 2 p.m. | Kratom & Regulations | Nancy Shenoi, M.D. |
| 2 - 2:30 p.m. | Neonatal Abstinence Syndromes | Catherine Gannon, M.D. |
| 2:30 - 3 p.m. | Taking Care of Women Who Use Drugs: Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Program Update | Catherine Eppes, M.D. Andres Ojeda, M.D. |
| 3 - 3:30 p.m. | Opioid Co-ingestants: Cannabinoid Update | Chris Verrico, M.D. |
| 3:30 - 4 p.m. | Opioid Co-ingestants: Nicotine/vaping/hookah Update | Nidal Moukaddam, M.D., Ph.D. |
CME provided.
Breakfast and lunch will be provided.
The conference is free, but registration is required.
For questions or inquiries, please contact Michele Haykal.
