By the Numbers

Rx Summit 2026

The National Convening on Prescription Drugs and Illicit Drug Policy
APRIL 6–9, 2026 · NASHVILLE, TN

One Event. Every Voice That Matters.

This April, Rx Summit brought the national response to the addiction crisis into a single room. Government officials, clinicians, law enforcement, researchers, advocates, treatment providers, and policymakers. For four days, the people actually doing the work gathered in Nashville to confront what the crisis demands next.

This is what that convening looked like.

The Reach

2,165
Professionals On-Site
968
Organizations
72
States & Territories
15+
Years of Leadership
4
Days of Programming
8
Members of Congress

This isn't an event people sign up for and skip. It's one they plan their year around.

Federal Leadership

A National Policy Stage

Rx Summit 2026 featured the full scope of federal leadership shaping the national response.

DEA
Terrance Cole
ONDCP
Sara Carter
FBI
Kash Patel
NIDA
Nora Volkow
NIH
Jay Bhattacharya
HHS
Kathryn Burgum
Members of Congress in Attendance

Hal Rogers · Brett Guthrie · Steny Hoyer · Andy Barr · Andrew Clyde · Steve Cohen · Madeleine Dean · John Rutherford

Policy, enforcement, science, clinical practice, and public communication all in one room. That convergence is where the field moves. That's Rx Summit.

Content that Connects

Sessions That Mattered

Attendees gravitated toward the content most relevant to their work. These were the ten most-attended sessions of Rx Summit 2026, averaging between 250 and 700 attendees each.

01
The Healing Power of Humor: Connecting Through Laughter in Recovery
Recovery Support
02
Nitazenes: The New Drugs on the Block
Illicit Drugs
03
Gas Station, Smoke Shop, and Corner Store Drugs: The New World of Kratom, Cannabinoids, Psychedelics, and Other Substances in Your Neighborhood
Illicit Drugs
04
Medetomidine: Xylazine's Nastier Cousin Has Arrived
Illicit Drugs
05
The Impact of Adolescent Cannabis Use on Mental and Behavioral Health: Current Evidence and Insights
Clinical
06
Building Recovery Ecosystems That Work: Sustainable, Community-Driven Models in Action
Recovery Support
07
Building Resilient Communities: How Metro Nashville Public Health Department is Using PACEs Science to Prevent Illicit Drug Use
Prevention
08
Fake Pills: Current Landscape and Evolving Challenges in Monitoring Counterfeit Drugs and Reducing Risk to the Public
Illicit Drugs
09
Visualizing and Implementing Change: CDC's Collective Efforts to Prevent Substance Use Initiation Among Youth
Prevention
10
What Clinicians, Policymakers, and Scientists Should Know About Vaping
Clinical
Cross-Sector Convening

Who Was in the Room

Rx Summit draws a cross-sector audience no other event in this space replicates.

Role
Clinicians and Licensed Healthcare Providers
Government Officials, Public Health Officials, and Agency Staff
Advocates, Coalition Leaders, and Community Stakeholders
Healthcare and Treatment Center Executives
Social Services Professionals
Law Enforcement and Judiciary
Industry and Solution Providers
First Responders and Public Safety

Executive Directors · CEOs · Prevention Specialists · Program Directors · Epidemiologists · Nurse Practitioners · Recovery Coaches · Detectives · Sergeants · Public Health Analysts · Care Coordinators · Clinical Directors

70%
of attendees came from nonprofit, government, and academic organizations. This is a mission-driven audience.
a statement of support
American Medical Association - Wikipedia

At Rx Summit 2026, the American Medical Association affirmed its support for the Summit as a critical forum driving collaboration and progress in the national response to the overdose epidemic.

Read the AMA Statement
From the Floor

The National Conversation, in Their Words

What attendees said the field needs next.

One Message
Collaboration is essential
One Trend Worth Protecting
Overdose deaths are declining
Two Treatments Carrying the Load
Buprenorphine and methadone
Three Barriers Still Standing
Stigma, regulation, and insurance
One Urgent Priority
Expand naloxone access
Coast to Coast

National Reach

Top States Represented

Tennessee · Kentucky · Florida · South Carolina · Massachusetts · Pennsylvania · California · Nevada · Virginia · Texas

72
States and Territories

Every region of the country. One conversation.

Information Sources

The Audience They Trust

When asked where they turn for information on addiction treatment and drug policy trends:

Government and public health sources 78%
 
Professional associations 50%
 
Peer-reviewed journals 33%
 
News media 26%
 
Continuing education platforms 24%

This audience doesn't follow trends. They follow evidence. They trust institutions. They act on data.

Word of Mouth

How They Find Us

Rx Summit isn't discovered through advertising. It's recommended.

How Attendees Heard About Rx Summit Share
Colleague or employer referral 46%
Email 17%
Association or professional network 4%
Prior attendance Top Driver

The event earns its audience through reputation, relationships, and results.

Post-Event Engagement

What They Said After

60%
Survey Response Rate
Industry average: 20–30%
59%
First-time Respondents
A growing community, not a static one

A response rate that high means attendees didn't just show up — they stayed engaged long after the event ended. That's the mark of an audience that treats Rx Summit as a professional resource, not a calendar item.

Digital Reach

Where the Conversation Continued

Platform usage among attendees:

Facebook
59%
LinkedIn
39%
Instagram
37%
YouTube
18%
TikTok
18%
Event Window Performance · Mar 30–Apr 11
Total Facebook views 12,430
Increase in video views +2,362%
Increase in interactions +645%
New followers in 13 days +110 · 5,181 total

Engagement surged more than 600% while the Summit was in session, with video outperforming every other format.

Trusted Authorities

Who They Follow

When asked which organizations they turn to for industry leadership:

SAMHSA CDC NIDA NIH DEA

This audience follows institutions, not influencers. A presence at Rx Summit places your organization in that same trusted company.

For Sponsors & Exhibitors

The Room Where It Happens

Post-event data shows strong engagement with Rx Summit sponsors and exhibitors. 

96%
visited the exhibit hall
90%
found exhibitor resources valuable
65%
plan to follow up with exhibitors

Rx Summit delivers a verified, high-intent professional audience of decision-makers and practitioners from the organizations most actively engaged in solving the drug crisis. This is not a general health conference. It is the specific room where policy is shaped, partnerships are formed, and solutions are adopted.

The Bottom Line

Four Days. One Field. Every Perspective.

Rx Summit 2026 brought together 2,165 professionals from 968 organizations, 72 states and territories, 8 Members of Congress, and federal leadership spanning enforcement, research, policy, and public health for four days in Nashville.

The audience is credibility-driven, evidence-seeking, and professionally invested. They don't find this event through a social feed. They come because their colleagues told them to. They come back because the content earns it.

That's the community you want to be part of.

Mar 29 – Apr 1, 2027 · Nashville, TN

Join Us for Rx Summit 2027

Gaylord Opryland · Nashville, TN

Registration Sponsor & Exhibit SpEAKERS
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