Controlled Substances – Regulation, Litigation, and Enforcement

The 8th Annual Summit on Controlled Substances – Regulation, Litigation, and Enforcement is organized by the American Conference Institute (ACI), part of C5 Group. ACI produces conferences and roundtables for senior decision-makers across regulated industries.

This conference addresses the next era of controlled substances regulation, enforcement, and compliance. The 2027 program will examine evolving DEA and DOJ priorities, diversion and prescribing risk, telemedicine requirements, quota and supply pressures, emerging substances, digital commerce, and the growing use of AI and data analytics in compliance and enforcement.

The conference will take place February 4-5, 2027 at the District of Columbia Bar in Washington, DC. While the event is hosted at the DC Bar Association offices, this is not a DC Bar Association event. Attendance is open to all professionals regardless of membership status or legal background.

The conference is designed for general counsel and senior legal, compliance, regulatory, pharmacy, operations, quality, investigations, procurement, distribution, diversion control, and DEA compliance professionals. It is also relevant to pharmacists, outside counsel, consultants, and federal and state government professionals working on controlled-substance regulation, compliance, enforcement, or litigation.

The audience typically includes pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations, healthcare systems, retail manufacturers and pharmacies, government, environmental services, logistics and distribution, law firms, and consulting organizations.

The 2027 agenda covers:

• DEA enforcement priorities
• Controlled Substances Act enforcement across federal and state frameworks
• The new DOJ Fraud Division
• DSCSA implementation
• Marijuana rescheduling
• DEA quota management
• Kratom and 7-OH
• Telemedicine and DEA Special Registration
• Psychedelic therapeutics
• Prescription validity and dispensing liability
• AI, ARCOS data, and advanced compliance monitoring
• E-commerce and digital diversion

Interactive roundtables will also address stimulants, fraud and trade laws, hemp-derived cannabinoids, hospital diversion, opioid litigation, and compounding oversight.

Attendees will learn how to anticipate regulatory, enforcement, and policy developments; prepare for the next phase of telemedicine prescribing under DEA’s Special Registration framework; and navigate risks involving marijuana rescheduling, hemp-derived cannabinoids, psychedelics, kratom, and other emerging substances. The program will also address strengthening diversion prevention and prescription-validity controls, using AI, data analytics, ARCOS intelligence, and advanced monitoring tools, and managing healthcare fraud, dispensing liability, supply-chain, and quota-related risk.

The speaker faculty typically includes current and former government officials, in-house counsel, DEA and controlled-substance compliance leaders, pharmacy and healthcare professionals, enforcement and investigations specialists, outside counsel, and consultants. Past programs have also included professionals with experience at the DEA, DOJ, FDA, state attorneys general offices, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, distributors, and retail pharmacy organizations.

The 2027 faculty has not yet been announced. Past programs have included professionals from the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of the New York State Attorney General, Pfizer, McKesson, Ascent Pharmaceuticals, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and leading law and consulting firms. Current faculty details will be announced as they become available.

The 2027 program includes networking breakfasts, extended and standard networking breaks, networking luncheons, interactive small-group roundtables, and a Day 1 networking cocktail reception. These formats are designed to support peer discussion and cross-functional connections among legal, compliance, regulatory, healthcare, industry, government, and advisory professionals.

Yes. Group discounts are available for attendees from the same organization who register together in one transaction: groups of 4-8 receive 10% off, groups of 9-12 receive 15% off, and groups of more than 12 should call 1-888-224-2480. Groups of 1-3 do not receive a group discount.

For in-person conferences, cancellations submitted in writing 11 or more days before the conference start date are eligible for either a full credit memo or a full refund. Cancellations received 0-10 days before the conference start date are not eligible for a refund. Please refer to the conference website for the latest terms and any event-specific updates.

Hotel accommodation is available at the Hampton Inn Washington-Downtown-Convention Center. ACI is pleased to offer our delegates a limited number of hotel rooms at a negotiated rate. To take advantage of these rates, please contact the hotel directly and quote “ACI Controlled Substances.” View the Venue & Hotel page for more information.

CLE credit will be available at the 2027 conference, but the available jurisdictions and credit amounts have not yet been published. Information regarding CPD and CME credits has not been specified. Please refer to the conference website for the latest accreditation information.