ACMT to Host Annual Scientific Meeting in Puerto Rico in March 2017

The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) will hold its Annual Scientific Meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico from March 31 – April 2, 2017 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Isla Verde, San Juan.

The conference, titled ‘Toxicologic Impact: Research, Practice, Teach’ will appeal to clinicians, academicians, and researchers in toxicology-related fields. Day One includes cutting-edge research on testing to detect clandestine fentanyl after suspected heroin overdose, mitochondrial dysfunction in patients with carbon monoxide poisoning, and adverse events associated with use of pit viper antivenom. Presentations and break-out sessions will explore practical aspects of working with Institutional Review Boards, assessing evidence in toxicology, resiliency in research, and measuring the reach of research with tools such as Altmetrics.

Day Two and Three of the Annual Scientific Meeting will feature additional research, as well as presentations from distinguished leaders in medical education, industry, and government. The Presidential Keynote will be given by Jeremy Sugarman, MD, MPH, MA, from Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics in Baltimore, MD and will explore ethical issues in medical toxicology research. Mark Kirk, MD, a medical toxicologist with the Department of Homeland Security will discuss the intersection of toxicology and terrorism. Other diverse topics will include use of social media to monitor drug epidemics, controlling the Zika Virus epidemic through vector management, advances in medical education methods, the utility of registries in research and practice, and quality metric development.

The Annual Scientific Meeting will follow special satellite sessions on Thursday, March 30. The first satellite session, ‘Epidemic of Addiction: Prescription Opioids, Heroin, and Fentanyl’, will delve into the newest data and best practices for treatment, as well as the forensic aspects of the opioid epidemic. The second satellite will be a half-day exploration of the Zika epidemic as well as a scientific analysis of the public health aspects of pesticide use. According to Dr. Bryan Judge, ACMT Board Member and Chair of the Education Committee, “My colleagues and I are eager to learn about some of the latest developments in the field of Medical Toxicology, as well as share our expertise with the public during the Satellite Sessions on the Opioid and Zika epidemics."