Gender and Racial Disparities in Pain Perception, Opioid Prescribing, and OUD Treatment   Gopika Pillai, BS Drexel University College of Medicine   SUMMARY POINTS Women are both overexposed to prescription opioids and underserved in adequate pain evaluation. Black, Hispanic, and other minority patients receive fewer analgesics and opioids for similar pain compared to White patients. Rising OUD mortality among racial/ethnic minority groups is linked to lower prescribing rates

The Illicit Opioid Market: Patterns and Implications   Justin Leggin, BS Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University     SUMMARY POINTS The 2010 reformulation of OxyContin led to a rapid and documented substitution effect, igniting a heroin epidemic that quadrupled heroin deaths in just four years. Synthetic opioids, primarily illicit fentanyl, have since reshaped the overdose crisis, with fentanyl-related deaths increasing over 1,000% from 2013 to 2019. Supp

Reported Adverse Effects, Withdrawal Symptoms, and Misuse Patterns Associated with Non-Prescription Tianeptine Use Dante Gilberti, MS Drexel University College of Medicine   SUMMARY POINTS Tianeptine misuse is associated with significant neurologic and cardiovascular adverse effects. Withdrawal symptoms from tianeptine resemble opioid withdrawal and frequently require medical treatment, highlighting the drug’s dependence potential. Misuse patterns show rapid tolerance and esc

RESEARCH ANALYSIS The Role of Music Therapy in Reducing Post-Operative Stress, Chronic Pain, and Potential Opioid Usage Amogh Nagol, BS...