Dr. Sanjay Gupta Tapped as Keynote for HMP Global’s 2026 Rx Summit

Rx Summit is the nation’s most influential multidisciplinary conference focused on addressing the opioid and addiction crisis.

CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent joins Dr. Eric Garland, Dan Kruger discuss redefining pain management and recovery at April 6-9 event in Nashville.

MALVERN, PA, UNITED STATES, December 18, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- At a time when chronic pain and addiction remain two of the most urgent public health challenges in America, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent and practicing neurosurgeon, will headline HMP Global’s 2026 Rx and Illicit Drug Summit (Rx Summit) with a keynote on new science-based approaches to treating pain without dependence. Joining him will be Dr. Eric Garland, an endowed professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego and developer of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), and professional motorcycle racer Dan Kruger, who will share his lived experience of recovery and resilience.

Together, they will examine how neuroscience, mindfulness, and compassion are transforming care for patients living with pain and addiction, and what these breakthroughs mean for clinicians, policymakers, and communities working to reverse the nation’s opioid crisis.

What is the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit?

Rx Summit is the nation’s most influential multidisciplinary conference focused on addressing the opioid and addiction crisis. Rx Summit brings together leaders from health care, public health, law enforcement, policy, and recovery communities to share research and solutions that advance prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery.

Dr. Gupta: “It’s time to change how we treat pain”

“Pain is one of the most misunderstood conditions in medicine,” said Dr. Gupta. “We now know that the brain and body are deeply connected, and that treatment must address both. Science shows us that we can relieve suffering without creating new harm. This is an opportunity for every clinician and policymaker to rethink what compassionate, effective care truly looks like.”

Dr. Gupta’s keynote will draw on themes from his 2025 book, It Doesn’t Have to Hurt: Your Smart Guide to a Pain-Free Life, which highlights integrative, evidence-based strategies to manage pain and reduce opioid dependence.

“In 16 randomized clinical trials funded by the NIH and DOD, we’ve seen how Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) can rewire the brain’s reward system and dramatically reduce suffering,” Garland said. “Across our studies, participants showed a 45% reduction in opioid misuse and a 25% reduction in chronic pain symptoms—effects that lasted for nine months after just eight weeks of MORE therapy. These aren’t abstract numbers. They reflect real healing and recovery. The science is clear. It’s now time to bring MORE to the front lines of care in addictions treatment and chronic pain management.”

Who they are

• Dr. Sanjay Gupta, MD — CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent; Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Emory University Hospital; Associate Chief of Neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta; member of the National Academy of Medicine; and host of CNN’s Chasing Life podcast.
• Dr. Eric Garland, PhD, LCSW — Endowed Professor in Health Sciences and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego; director of UCSD ONEMIND; developer of MORE.
• Dan Kruger — Professional motorcycle athlete, Rx Summit HOPE Ambassador, and winner of multiple national championships who overcame a 30-year opioid dependency and chronic pain through the MORE program, now a speaker and advocate for integrative recovery models.

Event Details

• Event: Rx and Illicit Drug Summit
• Dates: April 6–9, 2026
• Location: Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, Nashville, Tennessee
• Website
• Registration

About HMP Global
HMP Global is the omnichannel market leader in healthcare events, education, and insight — with a mission to improve patient care. For 40 years, the company has built trusted brands including Psych Congress, the premier source for mental health education, and the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), the largest wound care meeting in the world. HMP Global partners with leading experts around the world to deliver more than 450 annual events, medical strategy, and marketing for pharmaceutical and medical device customers through HMP Collective, and pharmaceutical market insight, engaging a global community of healthcare stakeholders that includes nearly 2 million clinicians across 600 medical specialties as well as managed care, behavioral health, senior living, emergency medical, and pharmaceutical commercialization professionals. For more information, follow HMP Global on LinkedIn or visit hmpglobal.com.

Sandi Beason, APR
HMP Global
pr@hmpglobal.com
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