ABOUT THE NORTH AMERICAN OPIOID CRISIS
What began as a breakthrough in pain management spiraled into one of the deadliest public health crises in modern history. Pharmaceutical executives, political leaders, regulators, litigators, and advocacy groups now face mounting scrutiny as addiction rates soar and communities demand accountability. Corporate influence, aggressive marketing, regulatory failures, and massive legal battles collide as delegates struggle to control both narrative and responsibility. The fate of powerful pharmaceutical families, the survival of healthcare institutions, and the lives of millions hang in the balance. Will justice prevail, or will profit and power reshape the outcome?
Questions? Contact usgs@barmun.org.
MEET THE DAIS
Meet the Under-Secretary-General
Yiannis Asikis
Under-Secretary-General
Class of 2028 | he/him
Yiannis Asikis is a sophomore in the Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, pursuing a B.A. in International Relations with a functional focus on International Systems and World Order and a regional concentration in Europe, alongside minors in Art History and Spanish. Originally from Athens, Greece, Yiannis has spent much of his life just down the road in Brookline and has been involved in Model United Nations since high school.
Yiannis is excited to serve on the BarMUN Secretariat this year as the Under-Secretary-General for Specialized Bodies. He previously supported the conference as a member of the logistics team, making this his second year contributing to BarMUN on campus, and has also chaired a committee for Boston University’s Model United Nations Conference (BosMUN).
Outside of Model UN, Yiannis is an Editor for both the International Relations Review and the Pre-Law Review, and is active across several campus organizations. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, visiting museums, and going on runs along the Charles River. Yiannis is thrilled for BarMUN and looks forward to meeting everyone!