Nation’s largest meeting addressing the opioid epidemic brings lawmakers, public health officials, law enforcement, clinicians, and community advocates together for four days focused on change and practical solutions

Malvern, PA (April 15, 2019) — The Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit today announced that the following members of Congress will speak during the 8th annual meeting taking place April 22-25, 2019, in Atlanta. In addition to remarks from Hal Rogers, U.S. Congressman, Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District, the founder of Operation UNITE, the original organizer of and now educational advisor for the summit, other members include:

Susan Brooks, U.S. Congresswoman, Indiana's 5th Congressional District

Earl “Buddy” Carter, U.S. Congressman, Georgia's 1st Congressional District

Wm. Lacy Clay, U.S. Congressman, Missouri’s 1st Congressional District

“We are honored that these members of Congress will participate in the discussion on combating the prescription drug abuse epidemic,” said Nancy Hale, President/CEO, Operation UNITE. “Their participation reinforces the critical importance of taking a multi-pronged approach to collaboration across government, law enforcement, healthcare, academia, and community, in order to find solutions for the most devastating public health crisis ever faced by our country. The lineup reflects the commitment and dedication of many to get ahead of this crisis.”

The members of Congress join a powerful lineup of other prominent government officials confirmed as speakers, including:

James W. Carroll, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy

Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Robert R. Redfield, MD, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Nora Volkow, MD, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Admiral Charles W. Ray, Deputy Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard

John Martin, Assistant Administrator, Diversion Control Division, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency

Anne Hazlett, Senior Adviser for Rural Affairs, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)

Gurbir S. Grewal, New Jersey Attorney General

Ernie Fletcher, MD, Former Governor of Kentucky 

John Tilley, Secretary, Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet

Founded in 2012, the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit is now the largest national gathering of professionals from “federal to family”: local, state and, federal agencies, public health officials, business executives, academia, treatment providers, advocates, law enforcement, and family members working to find solutions that address the prescription drug abuse and misuse epidemic.  More than 3,000 attendees participated in 2018. Previous notable speakers have included President Barack Obama in 2016, Congressman Patrick Kennedy and Speaker Newt Gingrich in 2017, and former President Bill Clinton and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway in 2018. The meeting is produced by HMP, a leader in healthcare events and education. 

The 2019 program will deliver practical, evidence-based education and actionable takeaways in 12 key areas, from National Policy Action to Prevention Strategies.

To learn more about the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, visit rx-summit.com, and be sure to follow Rx Summit on Facebook and Twitter @RxSummit, using hashtag #RxSummit2019.

Media Credentials

Media credentials are required to attend any part of the Summit.
To obtain media credentials, visit the Rx Summit Newsroom. Contact Kelly McCurdy, Rx Summit Press Officer, at pr@hmpglobal.com or 302.750.6030 for more information.

About HMP

HMP is the force behind Healthcare Made Practical – and is a multichannel leader in health care events and education, with a mission to improve patient care. The company produces accredited medical education events and clinically relevant, evidence-based content for the global health care community across a range of therapeutic areas. Its brands include Consultant360, the year-round, award-winning platform relied upon by primary care providers and other specialists; Psych Congress, the largest independent mental health meeting in the U.S.; EMS World Expo, North America’s largest EMT and paramedic event; and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. For more information, visit hmpglobal.com.