The Benzodiazepines Crisis

John Peppin, Clinical Adjunct Professor, Marion University, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Joseph V. Pergolizzi, Chief Operating Office, NEMA Research, Robert B. Raffa, Adjunct Professor, University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Steven L. Wright, Medical Director, Mountain Medical Care

John F. Peppin, DO, FACP, is board certified in Internal Medicine and pain medicine. Elected Fellow of the American College of Physicians, Kentucky Colonel in 2009, and PainWeek 2011 Clinician of the Year. He currently is a consultant in the areas of pain, palliative and internal medicine and Clinical Adjunct Faculty for Marian University, College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has published over 70 articles in the fields of pain management, palliative care, internal medicine and bioethics and edited books and given numerous lectures, papers and posters at national and international conferences. Dr. Peppin has been a principle investigator for over 80 clinical trials, as well as having other research projects and grants in his career including in conjunction with the NIH.


Joseph V. Pergolizzi, Jr., MD, is Chief Operating Office of NEMA Research, chairman of the Abstract and Poster Selection Committee for PAINWeek, and a member of the CHANGE PAIN Board. Dr. Pergolizzi's research interests focus on acute and chronic pain in adults with a particular focus on pain in the elderly. Dr. Pergolizzi has held various adjunct and/or part-time academic positions and faculty over the past decade. He is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, platform presentations and book chapters in his areas of interest and expertise.


Robert B. Raffa, PhD, is Adjunct Professor at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy and Professor Emeritus at Temple University School of Pharmacy. He is a cofounder of CaRafe Drug Innovation and the CSO of Neumentum Inc, both companies directed to the discovery and development of non-opioid analgesics. He has published more than 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and co-authored or edited several books on pharmacology and thermodynamics and is a Co-Editor of Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. He is a past president of the Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society of ASPET and is the recipient of research and teaching awards.


Steven Wright, MD, is a residency-trained family physician with a 37-year clinical career. Board-certified in addiction medicine and experienced in medical pain management, he is involved in a variety of roles including medical director of Mountain Medical Care. His clinical interests include the neurophysiology and treatment of pain and addiction, non-opioid analgesia, opioids, benzodiazepines, cannabis, best practices, and systems of care. He is the medical consultant for The Schreiber Research Group and the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices.