SPPCP 2025: Highlights and Can't-Miss Sessions From the Virtual Conference on Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacy

The Society of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacists (SPPCP) will host its eighth annual Virtual Conference on Pain and Palliative Care on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, from 11:30 AM to 5:30 PM ET. This year’s event promises 5 hours of live, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education–accredited continuing education (CE), featuring expert-led sessions on critical topics in pain management, opioid use disorder (OUD), mentorship, and more.

A virtual conference discussion. Image Credit: © phy - stock.adobe.com

Ahead of the conference, at 10 AM ET, SPPCP will also present the fifth annual Research Forum. This event offers a platform for pharmacists and clinicians to share innovative work in pain and palliative care through interactive presentations.

Complex Case Discussions 2025

This is our inaugural case discussion session focused on complex pain in patients with cancer. The session dives into tough real-world cases involving complex cancer pain. This year’s cases focus on lidocaine infusions, bone pain in acute myeloid leukemia, and shared decision-making and interprofessional collaboration, making this session valuable for practitioners seeking practical, patient-centered strategies.
Speakers: Lauren Fortini, PharmD; Tiffany Michalowski, PharmD, BCGP; Anna Kenney, DO; and Katherine Juba, PharmD
CE: 1.5 hours live

Pain and Progress: Providing Care and Compassion in OUD

This session offers a compassionate, evidence-based approach to caring for patients with OUD. It covers buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone and addresses acute and chronic pain management in patients living with OUD.
Speakers: Isabelle Zerfas, PharmD; and Abbey Galligan, PharmD, BCPS
CE: 1 hour live

Jeff Fudin Debates 2025

Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms growing on mycelium. Image Credit: © mindhive - stock.adobe.com

The Jeff Fudin Debates are where clinical curiosity and controversy meet. In honor of Jeffrey Fudin, PharmD, FCCP, FASHP, a passionate pioneer and advocate in pain management and mentor to many pharmacists in the profession, the debates are always popular with attendees. This year’s debates include the use of low-dose naltrexone in chronic pain, psilocybin-assisted therapy for mood and suffering, and anticholinergics for terminal secretions. These are hot-button topics in the field, and the format encourages critical thinking and open discussion.
Speakers: Madison N. Irwin, PharmD, BCPS; Emma Murter, PharmD, MPH​; Diana Violanti, PharmD, BCPS​; Pamela S. Moore, PharmD, BCGP​; Abigail Thomas, PharmD​; and Lee Kral, PharmD, FASHP, NBC-HWC, CPMC, CPE
CE: 1.5 hours live

The Art of Mentoring in Pain and Palliative Care

This session is all about building up the next generation of leaders in pain and palliative care. Attendees will learn about the value of mentorship and will create a personal roadmap to enhance their mentor-mentee relationships.
Speakers: Carolyn Hall, PharmD, BCPS; and Maria Felton Lowry, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP
CE: 1 hour live

Bonus Home Study Program: Communication Basics for the Palliative Pharmacist

Available as a home-study session, this presentation explores essential communication strategies for navigating difficult conversations with patients and families—an often-overlooked skill in pharmacy training.
Speaker: Taylor Butler, PharmD, BCOP, BCPS
CE: 1 hour home study

During breaks in programming, attendees will have an opportunity to virtually network with peers or attend faculty break rooms, where speakers will host additional Q&A sessions for attendees.

We hope this will be a valuable opportunity to engage with expert faculty, earn CE credits, and connect with a community dedicated to advancing pain and palliative care pharmacy. Whether you're looking to sharpen your clinical skills, explore new research, or gain fresh perspectives on evolving treatment strategies, the 2025 SPPCP Virtual Conference offers valuable content for pharmacists at every stage of their careers. Join in on May 20, 2025, and be part of a meaningful, impactful day of learning and connection. Register here and take the next step in elevating your practice. Registration is open to all members of the interprofessional team.