The Bouvé College of Health Sciences School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences hosted more than 100 critical care pharmacists, physicians, and nurses at its 22nd Annual New England Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Symposium on October 16, 2025. This long-standing interprofessional regional ICU conference continues to serve as a vital platform for advancing critical care practice across New England.
Collaborative Leadership
The symposium is co-chaired by Professor John Devlin from the Bouvé College Department of Pharmacy and Health Systems Sciences, alongside Drs. Paul Szumita, Jeremy Delgrado, and Russel Roberts from the Mass General Brigham Department of Pharmacy, and Dr. Gerald Weinhouse from the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Mass General Brigham.
Cutting-Edge Clinical Insights
Eight nationally recognized faculty members expertly unpacked critical topics affecting ICU practice, including new practice guidelines recommending dexmedetomidine for ICU sedation and melatonin for ICU sleep, the current role of artificial intelligence in supporting ICU clinical decision-making, new guidelines for treating hyperglycemic crises, anxiety management, ARDS treatment, anticoagulation strategies, and target trial emulation interpretation.
Notable Presentations
Joanna Stollings, PharmD, FCCM, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Co-Chair of the new 2025 SCCM PADIS international practice guidelines, delivered a standout presentation exploring the nuances behind the new recommendation to use dexmedetomidine versus other sedatives to maintain comfort and safety for adults in the ICU.
Raja-Elie Abdulnour, MD, a critical care physician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and editor at the New England Journal of Medicine group, addressed the role of artificial intelligence in ICU clinical practice. Dr. Abdulnour focused on how cognitive biases—including automation bias and framing effects—can influence ICU clinicians’ interpretation of AI outputs, emphasizing the importance of critically appraising the risks of bias, error propagation, and human over-reliance introduced by AI systems in clinical settings.
Andrew Webb, PharmD, FCCM, from Mass General Brigham and an adjunct assistant professor of pharmacy in Bouvé College, expertly guided the audience through current controversies surrounding anticoagulant reversal for patients who present to the hospital with a new intracranial bleed.
Ting Ting Wu, PharmD, PhD, a recent graduate of Bouvé College’s Population Health PhD program now completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, educated ICU clinicians on how to interpret studies employing target trial emulation.
Showcasing the Next Generation
During the conference, 15 critical care specialty residents from New England health systems—many of whom are Bouvé College Doctor of Pharmacy graduates—delivered insightful pharmacotherapy treatment pearls based on patient scenarios they have encountered during their training. This component of the symposium highlights the strong pipeline of critical care pharmacy specialists emerging from the region and demonstrates the practical application of advanced training.
Looking Ahead
The Symposium Co-Chairs are currently planning the 23rd Annual New England Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Symposium for October 2026 (date to be announced). For more information on this annual symposium and to stay updated on future events, click here.
The New England Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Symposium exemplifies Bouvé College’s commitment to advancing interprofessional education and fostering excellence in specialized pharmacy practice.
