Day 3 Sessions:
Symposium III - Beyond Abstinence: Measuring What Matters in Cannabis Use Disorder Medication Development
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 8:45 AM - 10:25 AM
Chairperson: Christina Brezing, MD, Assistant Professor, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute
Presenters: Frances Levin, MD, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/Kennedy-Leavy Professor of Psychiatry; Margaret Haney, PhD; Christina Brezing, MD, Assistant Professor, Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York State Psychiatric Institute; and John Mariani, MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Columbia University/NYSPI
Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is an increasingly urgent clinical challenge in the context of expanding legalization, rising product potency, and greater prevalence of daily use. Despite advances in psychosocial treatments, many patients continue to experience persistent symptoms, and pharmacotherapy development has lagged behind other substance use disorders. A key barrier has been the field’s reliance on abstinence as the primary outcome. While abstinence remains an important goal, it is often difficult to achieve, may not reflect patient-centered goals, and can obscure meaningful improvements in functioning and psychiatric symptoms.
This symposium will highlight emerging research that critically examines abstinence-focused endpoints and proposes a shift toward reduction-based frameworks. Presentations will address methodological challenges in CUD trials, including variability in defining abstinence and limited incorporation of patient motivation. Data will be presented demonstrating that reductions in cannabis us are associated with clinically meaningful improvements in quality of life and psychiatric outcomes. Additionally, we will review current clinical treatment strategies towards reduction in use.
Drawing on lessons from alcohol and tobacco research, this symposium will introduce standardized, reduction-based metrics as a complementary approach to evaluating treatment efficacy. Attendees will gain practical insights into how these frameworks can improve interpretation of clinical trial results and inform more patient-centered care.
By reframing how treatment success is defined, this symposium aims to advance research methodology, enhance clinical decision-making, and support the development of more effective interventions for CUD. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to incorporate reduction-based approaches into both clinical practice and research design.
Medical Update
Hormone Therapy for Perimenopause and Menopause
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Pallavi Khanna, M.D.
Dr. Pallavi Khanna is a board-certified OB/GYN, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP), and one of the most accomplished academic physicians in women's health in the Mid-South. At the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), she serves as Acting Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Associate Professor, and Division Chief of OB/GYN — a combination of leadership roles that reflects her extraordinary contributions to medicine, education, and institutional life.
As Director of the Menopause Care Clinic at Regional One Health since 2018, Dr. Khanna provides comprehensive, evidence-based care to women navigating perimenopause and menopause. She is one of the few physicians in the Mid-South with formal certification from the Menopause Society, and she recently became President of the Medical Staff at Regional One Health Hospital — a testament to the respect of her peers.
Her research focuses on health equity and disparities in menopause care, cardiovascular risk in menopausal women, hormone therapy acceptance, and innovative approaches to medical education. She has authored and co-authored more than 25 peer-reviewed publications and presented at national and international conferences.
Dr. Khanna is a recipient of the Golden Apple Teaching Award and a member of UTHSC's Academy of Master Educators. She was nominated for the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and recognized nationally by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) for Humanism in Teaching. She also serves on the Educational Committee of the Menopause Society.
Learning Objectives:
1. Summarize current evidence-based guidelines for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in perimenopausal and menopausal patients, including indications, contraindications, and risk stratification.
2. Review the physiologic changes associated with perimenopause and menopause and their clinical manifestations relevant to patient care.
3. Compare available HRT formulations and routes of administration, including differences in efficacy, safety profiles, and patient selection.
Apply appropriate screening, initiation, and monitoring strategies for HRT, including counseling on risks, benefits, and duration of therapy.