Sponsoring a conference is a commercial decision. The question is not whether a conference has an audience. It is whether that audience includes people who can actually move a business decision forward.

RWE Connect 2026 answers that question directly. Taking place on 14–15 October 2026 in Boston, it is a purpose-built forum for the real-world evidence community: pharma and biotech leaders, data scientists, market access professionals, regulatory teams, and the technology and data companies that serve them. Two hundred-plus attendees. Forty-plus speakers. A two-day programme designed to produce conversations, not just content.

This guide covers the audience profile, sponsorship benefits, and the ROI case for companies considering a commercial position at RWE Connect 2026.

Who is actually in the room: The speakers

Sponsorship value begins with audience quality. At RWE Connect 2026, the delegate and speaker profile reflects the seniority and functional specificity that turns conference presence into business outcomes.

Pharma and biotech leaders attend at VP, Director, Head of Department, and Executive Director level. Confirmed speakers include the Head of RWE at Boehringer Ingelheim, the Executive Director and Head of Global HEOR at BioMarin, the Global Head of HEOR at Alcon, the National Director of HEOR at Bayer, and HEOR Directors from Gilead Sciences across Oncology and Inflammatory Diseases. These are professionals with budget authority and the ability to make or recommend partnership decisions.

Medical affairs and market access teams are represented by participants from Novo Nordisk, UCB, Alnylam, and Otsuka Precision Health, reflecting the functional crossover between evidence generation and commercial access strategy.

Data science and analytics professionals attend alongside their pharma counterparts. These attendees are actively evaluating tools, platforms, and methods, often with procurement conversations already in progress.

Consulting, CRO, and research professionals represent the intermediary layer that influences and executes pharma evidence strategies.

The result is a room where buyers, decision-makers, practitioners, and solution providers share the same agenda. That overlap is where commercial conversations start.

What the companies already sponsoring have figured out

The companies committed to RWE Connect 2026 are not hedging. They are making a calculated bet on where their target buyers will be in October.

Truveta (Platinum Sponsor) aggregates de-identified EHR data from health systems across the US. Its headline position at RWE Connect signals where it wants to have enterprise partnership conversations: in front of senior pharma HEOR and RWE leads who are evaluating data infrastructure decisions.

Magnolia Market Access (Gold Sponsor) works at the intersection of market access strategy and evidence generation. Its sponsorship puts the firm directly in front of pharma market access leads who are actively looking for evidence strategy support.

Forian (Silver Sponsor) provides health data analytics and intelligence platforms. Its position at RWE Connect targets the data and analytics buyers in the room.

Arcadia (Thought Leadership Partner) has chosen a programme-integrated position, maximising visibility through content rather than pure brand presence.

Each of these companies evaluated the audience and concluded that 200-plus senior RWE professionals in one room justifies the investment. That same logic applies regardless of which tier you are considering.

What do sponsors actually get?

RWE Connect 2026 offers a structured sponsorship programme across multiple tiers. The core benefits are built around one principle: access that produces results.

Dedicated speaking slot

Present your case study, product insight, or point of view directly to a room of senior RWE professionals. Twenty minutes in that room delivers something a LinkedIn campaign or a cold outreach sequence cannot replicate.

Exhibition space within the conference flow

The exhibition zone is positioned inside the event, not beside it. Attendees pass through during breaks, lunch, and session transitions. For technology and data companies, that placement is how product conversations start naturally.

Structured 1:1 meetings via the Partnering Lounge

Pre-scheduled, private, and purposeful. These are not hallway introductions. They are the equivalent of a targeted business development call, conducted in person, with context already established.

Pre-qualified lead access

Sponsors receive attendee information before the event. Commercial conversations can begin before the first session opens, not during a rushed break on day two.

Programme-wide brand integration

Sponsor recognition across event communications, the conference website, and session materials extends visibility well beyond the two days in Boston.

Full networking and social programme access

Dinners, roundtables, and structured breakouts are where professional relationships actually form. Sponsors are full participants, not observers.

How to think about your return on investment

Conference sponsorship ROI depends on three variables: audience quality, engagement structure, and topic alignment. RWE Connect 2026 is built to perform on all three.

Audience quality. One productive meeting with a Head of Global HEOR or a VP of Market Access can justify sponsorship investment on its own. The delegate profile at RWE Connect is not aspirational. It is confirmed.

Engagement structure. Speaking slots, the exhibition zone, the Partnering Lounge, and pre-qualified lead access create multiple commercial touchpoints across the event. Sponsors are active participants in the programme, not passive brand presences.

Topic alignment. RWE Connect is organised around eight commercial themes: market access and value demonstration, AI and advanced analytics, data integration and interoperability, decentralised trials and patient platforms, regulatory and compliance enablement, synthetic controls and trial innovation, commercial intelligence, and patient engagement and digital health. If your company operates in any of these areas, the agenda is speaking directly to your buyers.

Scale. Two hundred-plus senior attendees in a two-day format means a higher ratio of decision-makers to exhibitors than you will find at a broad pharma event. Commercial access is proportionally easier.

Location. Boston is where the US life sciences industry concentrates. Biopharma headquarters, R&D centres, academic medical institutions, and RWD companies are all in or around the city. For sponsors operating in the US life sciences market, the location removes friction and maximises the likelihood of high-value attendance.

The types of companies that get the most out of sponsoring

The commercial case for sponsorship is strongest for companies in the following categories.

• Real-world data platforms and aggregators looking to open enterprise pharma partnerships with senior RWE and HEOR decision-makers.
• AI and analytics technology companies whose products address evidence generation, data quality, predictive modelling, or regulatory documentation in pharma and biotech contexts.
• Market access and evidence generation consultancies targeting HEOR, RWE, and medical affairs leads at pharma and biotech companies.
• CROs and evidence study providers looking to engage clinical development, RWE, and regulatory teams at companies with active outsourcing decisions.
• Health data and interoperability technology companies whose platforms support EHR aggregation, registry access, or real-world data standardisation.
• Patient engagement and digital health platforms working with pharma on decentralised studies, digital endpoints, and patient-reported outcomes capture.

If your buyers are in the RWE ecosystem, they will be in Boston in October.

Securing your sponsorship position

Platinum and Gold positions offer the highest level of programme integration and are allocated on a first-confirmed basis. Availability at these tiers is limited.

To review the prospectus or discuss commercial fit, contact the RWE Connect team at rweconnect.com/sponsor.

Explore sponsorship at RWE Connect 2026 →

Most conferences introduce you to people. The right conferences introduce you to the right people: those with the authority to evaluate a partnership, make a data decision, or move a market access strategy forward.

RWE Connect 2026 is built around that distinction. Held on 14–15 October 2026 in Boston, it convenes senior professionals from across the RWE ecosystem: pharma and biotech companies, real-world data platforms, analytics and AI providers, CROs, payers, and regulators. Two hundred-plus attendees. Forty-plus speakers. A Partnering Lounge designed for 1:1 meetings between people whose work intersects.

Here is a closer look at who attends, who speaks, and what kinds of conversations are possible.

The pharma and biotech companies sending their senior people

The speaker and delegate profile at RWE Connect 2026 reflects the seniority and functional breadth that pharma companies bring to the event. These are not junior delegates filling a seat. The table below shows which companies are present and at what level.

A few things stand out from this list. Boehringer Ingelheim and Gilead Sciences are each sending multiple speakers, which signals active engagement rather than passive attendance. BioMarin’s Executive Director and Head of Global HEOR is a C-suite adjacent role with accountability for the company’s entire outcomes research strategy. Alcon’s Global Head of HEOR covers pharma markets worldwide. These are the people who approve evidence strategies, evaluate data partnerships, and sign off on outsourcing decisions.

The data and analytics companies on the floor

Real-world data platforms and analytics companies are core sponsors and active participants at RWE Connect 2026. What makes this relevant to pharma and biotech attendees is that these are not passive exhibitors.

Sponsor representatives speak on panels, participate in masterclass sessions, and are accessible through the Partnering Lounge. The structure of the event is designed to make these interactions substantive.

Truveta (Platinum Sponsor) aggregates de-identified electronic health record data from health systems across the US, making it one of the most significant RWD infrastructure companies in the market. Its headline sponsorship signals both investment and commercial intent at the senior pharma level.

Magnolia Market Access (Gold Sponsor) works at the intersection of market access strategy and evidence generation, serving pharma clients navigating payer and HTA requirements.

Forian (Silver Sponsor) provides health data analytics and intelligence platforms used across pharma, payer, and provider markets.

Arcadia (Thought Leadership Partner) brings data aggregation and analytics infrastructure that supports health systems and life sciences organisations working with large-scale real-world datasets.

The consulting and research voices in the room

Beyond pharma and data companies, RWE Connect draws professionals from the consulting and research community who play an active role in how evidence strategies get designed and executed.

APPERTURE LLC and APPERTURE Health contribute two professionals: Dhanish Revanth, HEOR Consultant and Epidemiologist, and Trupti Dhumal-Key, HEOR and Bioinformatics Consultant. Leo Russo from CounterX Therapeutics attends as a Scientific Advisor, bringing an early-stage company perspective on evidence strategy.

Samuel Dyer, CEO of the Medical Science Liaison Society, contributes a medical affairs perspective on how real-world evidence translates at the health system level.

What does this audience profile mean for your organisation?

The audience at RWE Connect 2026 is not a general pharma crowd. It is a selective gathering of professionals whose daily work involves generating, evaluating, or acting on real-world evidence. The commercial implications of that specificity depend on who you are.

• If you are a data or analytics provider, the attendees include the people who evaluate and procure RWD platforms: Directors of Epidemiology, Heads of Global HEOR, and VP-level market access leads with active infrastructure decisions on their plates.
• If you are a CRO or evidence generation consultancy, the attendees include the HEOR and RWE leads who commission and manage evidence studies across the drug development lifecycle.
• If you are pharma or biotech, the attendees include peers from comparable organisations working on the same evidence challenges, alongside the data and technology partners they use. Benchmarking your evidence strategy against that group is one of the most direct forms of professional development available.
• If you are a technology or AI company working in life sciences, the Innovation Showcase and Startup Pavilion put your offering in front of senior decision-makers who are actively evaluating next-generation tools, not just browsing.

How the event is structured to make conversations happen

Attending a conference and making meaningful progress on a business or evidence objective are different things. RWE Connect 2026 is designed to close that gap through formats that prioritise interaction over broadcast.

The Partnering Lounge runs pre-scheduled private 1:1 meetings between attendees. These are working sessions between professionals with a shared reason to meet, not corridor conversations that go nowhere.

The Masterclass Workshops are facilitator-led and hands-on. Attendees leave with frameworks they can apply directly. They also leave having worked alongside peers from pharma, data, and consulting, which means the network built here is grounded in shared learning rather than badge scanning.

The RWE Innovation Showcase and Startup Pavilion give companies presenting new methodologies and platforms a structured visibility opportunity. For attendees, they offer a curated view of what is emerging in the space before it becomes mainstream.

Panel sessions, roundtables, and fireside chats complete the agenda, prioritising dialogue and debate over passive presentation.

Who should be making plans to attend

RWE Connect 2026 draws professionals across a range of functions and organisation types. The list below covers the roles and teams that consistently get the most out of the event.

• From pharma and biotech: HEOR Directors and RWE Heads, Medical Affairs leads, Market Access professionals at VP level and above, Regulatory Affairs teams working with real-world data, Epidemiology Directors, and Clinical Development leads engaged in evidence planning.
• From data and analytics companies: business development and commercial leaders, product and platform teams, and Scientific and Medical Affairs contacts at RWD companies.
• From technology and AI companies: commercial and partnership leads whose products serve life sciences RWE workflows.
• From consulting firms: senior consultants and practice leads in HEOR, market access, and evidence strategy.
• From CROs: business development and scientific leadership teams working in real-world evidence generation.

Register or explore sponsorship — Boston, 14–15 October 2026 →

Real-world data is only as valuable as what you do with it. The challenge in 2026 is no longer data scarcity — it is knowing how to access the right data sources, apply rigorous analytical methods, meet regulatory standards, and translate findings into decisions that move products forward.

For pharma and life sciences professionals working in RWD, analytics, and evidence generation, the conference calendar reflects that shift. Events are no longer just about awareness of RWE as a concept. They are where methodological debates get resolved, analytical tools get stress-tested, and regulatory expectations get clarified — in person, with the people who set and use those standards.

Below are ten leading pharma events for real-world data, analytics, and evidence generation in 2026.

TL;DR — 10 Leading Pharma Events for Real-World Data, Analytics & Evidence Generation (2026)

The 10 Leading Pharma Events for Real-World Data, Analytics & Evidence Generation

Let’s walk through each leading pharma event for real-world data, analytics and evidence generation in depth.

1. RWE Connect 2026 (14–15 October 2026, Boston, USA)

Best dedicated forum for real-world data platforms, analytics innovation, and evidence strategy

RWE Connect 2026 is the strongest single-event option for professionals whose work sits at the intersection of real-world data, analytics, and evidence generation. Organised by Convolign, the conference brings together 150+ attendees and 40+ speakers across two days in Boston — one of the world’s most active life sciences and digital health ecosystems.

The programme is built around three integrated themes: regulatory science, data and analytics, and technology and innovation. For data and analytics professionals specifically, this means sessions covering AI and machine learning in evidence generation, data interoperability across EHRs and registries, synthetic control arms, digital endpoints, decentralised study approaches, and patient-reported outcomes platforms.

The speaker lineup reflects the depth of engagement available. Heads of RWE from Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead Sciences, and BioMarin are joined by data science and analytics leaders from Arcadia, Forian, and Truveta — organisations working daily on the infrastructure and platforms that make real-world data usable for regulatory and commercial purposes.

Beyond the formal sessions, an RWE Innovation Showcase highlights cutting-edge methodologies and tools. A Startup Pavilion spotlights next-generation analytics companies. Hands-On Masterclass Workshops provide practical, facilitator-led instruction in study design, data interoperability, and analytical approaches applicable to current projects.

Who should attend:

• Data science and analytics professionals in pharma and biotech
• RWE and evidence generation leads
• Medical affairs and regulatory professionals engaging with RWD
• Technology providers, CROs, and RWD platform companies

2. ISPOR 2026 (17–20 May 2026, Philadelphia, USA)

Best for HEOR methods, AI integration in evidence generation, and value framework professionals

ISPOR 2026 in Philadelphia focused heavily on how analytical methods are evolving — particularly the role of AI in systematic literature reviews, evidence synthesis, HEOR workflows, and real-world study design. Sessions addressed AI governance, predictive modelling, and the methodological requirements for AI-generated evidence to be accepted by payers and HTA bodies.

For professionals working at the technical edge of evidence generation, ISPOR offers short courses, poster sessions, and issue panels with a density of methodological content that is difficult to match elsewhere.

Strengths: Scientific rigour, AI and methods depth, global HEOR community.

Considerations: Broad programme; data and analytics sessions require advance session planning.

3. HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting (6–10 June 2026, Istanbul, Turkey)

Best for understanding how HTA bodies evaluate real-world data for access decisions

For evidence generation professionals, the value of HTAi lies in direct access to the people and processes that determine whether real-world evidence is accepted for access decisions. The 2026 meeting in Istanbul addressed how HTA bodies assess study design, data quality, and evidence credibility, including AI-enabled digital health technologies and digital endpoints.

Understanding what constitutes fit-for-purpose evidence from the HTA perspective is one of the most practically valuable outcomes of attending this event.

Strengths: HTA body access, evidence evaluation standards, policy and methods crossover.

Considerations: Scientific and policy focus; limited commercial and vendor engagement.

4. GetReal Institute Annual Conference 2026 (29–30 June 2026, Utrecht, Netherlands)

Best for European RWD methodology, data quality standards, and regulatory/HTA alignment

The GetReal Institute annual conference is the most rigorous European forum for working through the practical challenges of generating fit-for-purpose real-world evidence. The 2026 edition in Utrecht addressed data quality assurance, common data models, external control arm methodology, and the role of AI in RWD analysis — examined against the expectations of European regulators and HTA bodies.

The European Health Data Space regulation and the EU HTA Regulation were central to programme discussions, making this the most relevant European event for teams developing evidence strategies aimed at EMA or joint clinical assessment submissions.

Strengths: Methodological depth, European regulatory alignment, multistakeholder design.

Considerations: Smaller scale; non-commercial format.

5. ISPE 42nd Annual Meeting / ICPE 2026 (29 August–2 September 2026, Milan, Italy)

Best for pharmacoepidemiology methods, causal inference, and drug safety evidence

ICPE 2026 at the Allianz MiCo Convention Center in Milan is the premier scientific gathering for pharmacoepidemiology — the discipline that underpins most real-world observational study design. Sessions cover causal inference methods, study design for regulatory purposes, target trial emulation, propensity score methods, confounding control, and post-market safety evidence.

For data scientists and RWE researchers working on the methodological backbone of evidence generation, ICPE is one of the most technically dense events of the year.

Strengths: Methodological rigour, causal inference focus, RWD science depth, regulatory crossover.

Considerations: Academic orientation; attendance is best suited to methods-focused professionals.

6. 14th IMPACCT Real-World Evidence Summit (October 2026, Boston, USA)

Best for pharma teams working on data quality, AI-driven RWE, and lifecycle integration

The IMPACCT summit consistently centres its programme on applied questions — not what RWE could theoretically do, but how leading pharma organisations are actually doing it. Past sessions have addressed data standardisation and quality assurance, validation of AI and predictive models in RWE analysis, external control arm construction, and regulatory submission strategies using real-world data.

The 14th edition in October 2026 will build on prior focus areas as CMS guidance and FDA’s RWE Centre announcements continue to shape what is expected of real-world data studies.

Strengths: Applied case studies, senior pharma practitioners, data quality focus.

Considerations: Specific dates and venue TBC.

7. DIA Real-World Evidence Conference 2026 (19–20 October 2026, North Bethesda, USA)

Best for professionals working on regulatory-ready real-world data and governance

The DIA’s 2026 RWE Conference brings regulatory science to the centre. Speakers from the FDA, EMA, and other global agencies join industry experts to address how regulatory standards for real-world data quality, governance, and study design are evolving — and what “decision-grade” evidence actually requires in a submission context.

Case studies and collaborative discussions make this a practical event for teams developing or refining regulatory-grade RWE programmes.

Strengths: Agency engagement, regulatory standards, data governance, governance frameworks.

Considerations: Two-day, targeted format; primarily valuable for regulatory and submission-focused teams.

8. ISPOR Healthcare Investment Summit 2026 (22–23 September 2026, San Francisco, USA)

Best for evidence professionals building the commercial case for RWD investment

The ISPOR Healthcare Investment Summit creates an unusual but valuable intersection: health economists, evidence generation professionals, and life sciences investors discussing how the quality and robustness of real-world data shapes product value and access outcomes. For teams building the business case for RWE infrastructure investment or articulating the value of robust RWD platforms to commercial leadership, this summit offers a commercially framed argument with HEOR depth.

Strengths: Investment-oriented framing, commercial evidence strategy, HEOR meets capital.

Considerations: Limited scientific programme; best for commercially oriented evidence leads.

9. ISPOR Europe 2026 (8–11 November 2026, Vienna, Austria)

Best for European pharma teams integrating RWE into market access and HTA programmes

ISPOR Europe 2026 in Vienna is the largest HEOR event in Europe, with 5,000+ attendees expected across research, industry, payer, and regulatory communities. The programme covers real-world evidence generation and application, with specific attention to European HTA regulation, joint clinical assessments, and the methodological requirements for evidence acceptable to European payers.

Strengths: European access community, HTA methods, payer engagement, scale.

Considerations: RWE is one stream within a large, multidisciplinary programme.

10. GlobalBSG Pharma Pricing & Market Access Innovation Summit (12–13 November 2026, Vienna, Austria)

Best for commercial teams connecting real-world outcomes evidence to pricing and access strategy

The GlobalBSG summit addresses how evidence from real-world studies supports outcomes-based contracting, managed entry agreements, and international access negotiations. For evidence generation teams whose work must ultimately support pricing and reimbursement decisions, this summit provides the commercial context that connects data to access outcomes.

Strengths: Senior commercial audience, access, and pricing integration.

Considerations: Limited scientific content; framed around the commercial application of evidence.

Choosing the Right Events

Not every event serves the same purpose. Scientific methods conferences, regulatory forums, and commercial strategy summits each deliver different value. The most effective approach to the 2026 calendar combines a primary event with cross-functional depth — and at least one event that challenges your analytical assumptions with external perspectives.

Register for RWE Connect 2026 in Boston, 14–15 October →

The relationship between real-world evidence, health economics, and market access has tightened. Payers want outcomes data. HTA bodies are embedding RWE into joint assessments. Regulators are expanding guidance on what counts as credible real-world data. For pharma professionals working across these functions, staying current is no longer enough — the work requires active engagement with how standards, methods, and policy expectations are shifting in real time.

Conferences are where that engagement happens at scale. The right events bring together the decision-makers, data leaders, and regulatory voices who are shaping how RWE is generated, evaluated, and applied across the product lifecycle.

Below are the ten best RWE, HEOR, and market access conferences for pharma professionals in 2026, ranked by strategic relevance.

Top 10 RWE, HEOR & Market Access Conferences for Pharma Professionals (2026)

1. RWE Connect 2026 (14–15 October 2026, Boston, USA)

Best for pharma professionals working across RWE strategy, market access, and evidence generation

RWE Connect 2026 is the most tightly focused commercial RWE conference in the 2026 calendar. Held in Boston — the geographic centre of the US life sciences industry — it is designed for senior professionals whose work spans evidence generation, regulatory alignment, market access strategy, and data innovation.

The event covers three interconnected tracks: regulatory science, data and analytics, and technology and innovation. This structure reflects how RWE work actually operates — across functions, not within a single silo.

The speaker lineup confirms the event’s industry positioning. Confirmed participants include heads of HEOR and RWE from Gilead Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novo Nordisk, BioMarin, Bayer, and Alcon, alongside data and analytics leaders from Arcadia, Forian, and Truveta. The Partnering Lounge enables private 1:1 meetings. Masterclass Workshops provide skills-level depth. An RWE Innovation Showcase and Startup Pavilion showcase emerging tools and platforms.

For pharma professionals at the intersection of evidence and access, RWE Connect 2026 delivers the format and audience density to make attendance count.

Who should attend:

• HEOR and RWE directors and VP-level leads
• Medical affairs and market access teams
• Regulatory affairs professionals engaged with RWD submissions
• Data science and analytics leaders in pharma and biotech

2. ISPOR 2026 (17–20 May 2026, Philadelphia, USA)

Best for HEOR professionals and health policy strategists

ISPOR 2026 drew more than 4,500 stakeholders to Philadelphia in May, making it the largest HEOR gathering of the year. The conference theme — “HEOR at the Forefront of Policy, Access, and Value” — reflected the growing centrality of HEOR as a strategic function, not just a reimbursement tool.

Sessions at ISPOR 2026 addressed AI-enabled evidence workflows, RWE use in regulatory and HTA submissions, patient-centred outcomes methodologies, pricing reform under the Inflation Reduction Act, and lifecycle evidence planning. For HEOR and market access professionals, the conference offers unmatched breadth.

Strengths: Scale, scientific rigour, global policy depth, multidisciplinary attendance.

Considerations: RWE is embedded across a large, diverse programme — strong session planning is required to maximise RWE-specific value.

3. HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting (6–10 June 2026, Istanbul, Turkey)

Best for market access and HTA professionals working on multi-market access strategy

The HTAi Annual Meeting is the premier global forum for health technology assessment. The 2026 edition, themed “HTA as a System Shaper,” explored how evidence-informed decision-making supports more sustainable and equitable healthcare systems — with specific attention to EU HTA regulation, joint clinical assessments, and the integration of RWE into product access decisions.

For market access professionals navigating HTA submissions in multiple markets, HTAi provides direct access to HTA body representatives and regulatory stakeholders who are rarely available in commercial conference formats.

Strengths: HTA community access, policy and methods depth, global cross-market perspective.

Considerations: Limited commercial activity; primarily a scientific and policy forum.

4. GetReal Institute Annual Conference 2026 (29–30 June 2026, Utrecht, Netherlands)

Best for European RWE methods and regulatory/HTA alignment

The GetReal Institute is the leading European multistakeholder platform for advancing real-world evidence in regulatory, HTA, and clinical decision-making. Its 2026 annual conference in Utrecht focused on translating RWD into evidence that meets fit-for-purpose standards — addressing data quality, analytical methodology, digital technologies, and the decision context that determines whether RWE is accepted.

The event is notable for bringing together regulators, HTA bodies, industry professionals, academics, and patient advocates in a collaborative rather than transactional format.

Strengths: Methodological depth, European regulatory context, multistakeholder design.

Considerations: Smaller scale; limited partner evaluation or commercial interaction.

5. ISPE 42nd Annual Meeting / ICPE 2026 (29 August–2 September 2026, Milan, Italy)

Best for pharmacoepidemiology, real-world data science, and drug safety professionals

ICPE 2026, the International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management, brings together more than 2,000 professionals at the Allianz MiCo Convention Center in Milan. The theme, “Unlocking the Power of Pharmacoepidemiology to Improve Patient Health,” reflects the conference’s core commitment to scientific rigour in real-world data application.

For pharma professionals working in epidemiology, pharmacovigilance, benefit-risk assessment, or post-market surveillance, ICPE is the most scientifically intensive RWE-adjacent event in the calendar.

Strengths: Scientific depth in RWD methodology, post-market focus, strong academic-industry crossover.

Considerations: Academic orientation; commercial and partnering activity is limited.

6. 14th IMPACCT Real-World Evidence Summit (October 2026, Boston, USA)

Best for pharma and biotech professionals optimising RWE across the drug lifecycle

Organised by Hanson Wade, the IMPACCT Real-World Evidence Summit is the industry’s most practitioner-focused RWE meeting. The 14th edition returns to Boston in October 2026 following a series that has drawn senior attendees from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, AbbVie, Biogen, and Boehringer Ingelheim.

Sessions address the practical questions that define RWE work: data quality and access, AI and predictive modelling in evidence generation, regulatory submission strategy, and integrated evidence planning across development and commercialisation.

Strengths: Senior pharma audience, case study depth, cross-functional networking.

Considerations: Specific dates not yet confirmed.

7. DIA Real-World Evidence Conference 2026 (19–20 October 2026, North Bethesda, USA)

Best for regulatory affairs professionals working on RWE submissions

The DIA’s Real-World Evidence Conference brings together regulators, industry leaders, data scientists, and policy experts at the Bethesda North Marriott in October. The 2026 programme, themed “Translating Insights into Real-World Value,” features perspectives from the FDA, EMA, and other global authorities alongside discussions on data governance, evolving regulatory standards, and study design for regulatory purposes.

Speakers include leaders from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, IQVIA, and the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy.

Strengths: Regulatory focus, agency engagement, governance and standards content.

Considerations: Narrow regulatory framing; strongest value for regulatory affairs and submission-focused teams.

8. ISPOR Healthcare Investment Summit 2026 (22–23 September 2026, San Francisco, USA)

Best for evidence professionals connecting RWE strategy to investment and value decisions

The ISPOR Healthcare Investment Summit convenes investors, drug developers, policy leaders, and HEOR professionals in San Francisco to examine how products are evaluated, paid for, and adopted. For pharma teams building RWE strategies that need to satisfy both scientific and commercial audiences, this summit offers a rare forum that speaks both languages.

Strengths: Investor-industry crossover, commercial evidence framing, policy and value integration.

Considerations: Investment-oriented framing; limited scientific or methods depth.

9. ISPOR Europe 2026 (8–11 November 2026, Vienna, Austria)

Best for European market access and HEOR professionals

ISPOR Europe 2026, held in Vienna, is the Society’s largest annual European gathering — with 5,000+ expected attendees from across research, industry, payer, and regulatory communities. The programme covers real-world evidence generation and application, HTA methodologies, pricing and reimbursement strategies, and the evolving EU regulatory landscape.

For pharma market access teams with European portfolios, ISPOR Europe is an essential calendar commitment.

Strengths: European HEOR and HTA community scale, multi-market access depth, strong payer access.

Considerations: Broad programme; RWE content requires intentional session planning.

10. GlobalBSG Pharma Pricing & Market Access Innovation Summit (12–13 November 2026, Vienna, Austria)

Best for senior executives in pricing and access, working on value demonstration

The GlobalBSG summit brings together senior pharma executives in pricing, HEOR, market access, payer engagement, and regulatory affairs. The 2026 Vienna edition addresses affordability pressures, outcomes-based contracting, and the evidence-based strategies that support reimbursement across international markets.

Strengths: Senior commercial audience, pricing-access integration, international scope.

Considerations: Limited scientific content; strongest value for commercially oriented teams.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 calendar gives RWE, HEOR, and market access professionals a range of strong options — but no single event covers everything. The most effective conference strategy aligns event selection with where a team’s decisions actually need to move: methods development, regulatory alignment, partner evaluation, or commercial strategy.

Secure your place at RWE Connect 2026 →

Real-world evidence has moved from a supporting role to a strategic imperative. Regulators are expanding its use in submissions. Payers are demanding it for reimbursement. HTA bodies are building it into evaluation frameworks. For pharma, biotech, and data science professionals, the question is no longer whether RWE matters. It is where to go to stay ahead of how it is being applied.

The 2026 conference calendar offers a strong set of options. Some are dedicated RWE forums. Others embed RWE deeply within HEOR, market access, and pharmacoepidemiology programs. Each serves a different audience and a different purpose.

Below are the ten best RWE conferences to attend in 2026, selected for topic depth, audience quality, and strategic value.

The 10 Best RWE Conferences to Attend in 2026

1. RWE Connect 2026 (14–15 October 2026, Boston, USA)

Best overall choice for RWE strategy, data, analytics, and outcome-focused professionals

RWE Connect 2026 is purpose-built for professionals whose work centres on real-world evidence. Held in Boston — home to one of the world’s most concentrated life sciences ecosystems — it brings together pharma leaders, data scientists, regulatory experts, market access teams, HEOR professionals, and technology innovators under one agenda.

Why RWE Connect stands out:

• Integrated track design. The conference covers regulatory science, data and analytics, and technology and innovation across a unified programme — avoiding the fragmentation that affects broader events. Attendees move between sessions without losing strategic context.
• Senior speaker profile. Confirmed speakers include heads of RWE and HEOR from Boehringer Ingelheim, Gilead Sciences, BioMarin, Novo Nordisk, Alcon, Bayer, and Celcuity, alongside academic and consulting voices from institutions including Otsuka Precision Health and Arcadia.
• Outcome-driven formats. The exclusive Partnering Lounge enables structured 1:1 meetings. An RWE Innovation Showcase, Startup Pavilion, and Hands-On Masterclass Workshops move the programme beyond passive attendance.

Who should attend RWE Connect 2026:

• RWE, HEOR, and epidemiology leads at pharma and biotech
• Data science, AI, and analytics professionals in life sciences
• Market access, medical affairs, and regulatory teams
• CROs, consultants, and RWD solution providers

If you attend one RWE conference in 2026, RWE Connect delivers the most focused, senior, and commercially relevant environment in the calendar.

2. ISPOR 2026 (17–20 May 2026, Philadelphia, USA)

Best for HEOR, policy, and value framework professionals

ISPOR 2026, themed “HEOR at the Forefront of Policy, Access, and Value,” attracted over 4,500 stakeholders to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in May. The programme covered AI-enabled workflows, RWE strategy across the drug development lifecycle, patient-centred evidence generation, and the implications of pricing reform — including the Inflation Reduction Act and international reference pricing.

RWE featured prominently in sessions on regulatory submissions, market access strategy, and lifecycle management. ISPOR 2026 also reinforced a broader theme: HEOR is shifting from a reimbursement function to a strategic capability across development and commercialisation.

Strengths: Scale, scientific rigour, global audience, policy depth.

Considerations: Broad scope across HEOR means RWE is one stream among many. RWE-specific decisions require heavy session planning.

3. HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting (6–10 June 2026, Istanbul, Turkey)

Best for HTA bodies, policy makers, and market access professionals working across borders

The HTAi 2026 Annual Meeting, themed “HTA as a System Shaper,” brought together the global health technology assessment community in Istanbul. The programme focused on evidence-informed decision-making, equitable access, and the integration of RWE into HTA evaluation frameworks — including discussion of joint clinical assessments under EU HTA regulation.

For professionals working on how real-world data informs product access decisions — particularly in Europe and Asia Pacific — HTAi is one of the few forums where HTA bodies, regulators, and industry engage on equal footing.

Strengths: HTA community depth, cross-border policy discussion, and regulatory/payer access.

Considerations: Limited commercial networking; strongest value for teams working directly on access strategy and HTA submissions.

4. GetReal Institute Annual Conference 2026 (29–30 June 2026, Utrecht, Netherlands)

Best for RWE methods, regulatory alignment, and European HTA decision-making

The GetReal Institute Annual Conference is the leading European multistakeholder forum dedicated entirely to advancing real-world evidence. The 2026 edition focused on translating real-world data into evidence that meets the expectations of regulators and HTA bodies — covering fit-for-purpose study design, data quality standards, AI integration, and the practical challenges introduced by the European Health Data Space.

Attendees include researchers, regulators, HTA representatives, patient advocates, and industry professionals working on European RWE adoption. The format prioritises collaborative discussion over broadcast sessions.

Strengths: Methodological rigour, European regulatory alignment, multistakeholder engagement, non-commercial environment.

Considerations: Smaller scale; not designed for commercial interactions or partner evaluation.

5. ISPE 42nd Annual Meeting / ICPE 2026 (29 August–2 September 2026, Milan, Italy)

Best for pharmacoepidemiology, drug safety, and real-world data methodology

The International Conference on Pharmacoepidemiology and Therapeutic Risk Management (ICPE) is the flagship annual event of the International Society for Pharmacoepidemiology. The 2026 edition, themed “Unlocking the Power of Pharmacoepidemiology to Improve Patient Health,” is being held at the Allianz MiCo Convention Center in Milan, with over 2,000 participants expected.

For professionals working at the intersection of RWD methods, post-market surveillance, benefit-risk assessment, and regulatory science, ICPE 2026 offers the deepest scientific programme in the calendar. Sessions cover causal inference, study design, pharmacovigilance, and real-world evidence applications across therapeutic areas.

Strengths: Scientific depth, methodological focus, global pharmacoepidemiology community.

Considerations: Academic orientation; limited commercial and partnership activity.

6. 14th IMPACCT Real-World Evidence Summit (October 2026, Boston, USA)

Best for lifecycle RWE strategy and drug development professionals

The IMPACCT Real-World Evidence Summit, organised by Hanson Wade, has built a 14-year record as the industry’s most focused gathering for pharma and biotech professionals working on RWE across the drug development lifecycle. The 2026 edition returns to Boston in October.

Past editions have drawn senior attendees from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, AbbVie, Biogen, Alexion, and Boehringer Ingelheim. Sessions address data quality, AI and predictive modelling in RWE analysis, regulatory submission strategy, and integrated evidence planning.

Strengths: Senior industry audience, actionable case studies, cross-functional networking.

Considerations: Specific dates not yet confirmed; registration interest lists open now.

7. DIA Real-World Evidence Conference 2026 (19–20 October 2026, North Bethesda, USA)

Best for regulatory-focused RWE and FDA/EMA engagement

The Drug Information Association’s annual RWE conference is one of the most regulatory-forward events in the calendar. The 2026 edition, themed “Translating Insights into Real-World Value,” will be held at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.

Confirmed speakers include leaders from the FDA, EMA, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, IQVIA, RTI Health Solutions, and Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy. Sessions cover data quality, governance, evolving regulatory standards for RWD, study design, and collaborative research models.

Strengths: Regulatory depth, agency engagement, governance and standards focus.

Considerations: Two-day format; strongest value for regulatory affairs and evidence submission teams.

8. ISPOR Healthcare Investment Summit 2026 (22–23 September 2026, San Francisco, USA)

Best for investors, developers, and value strategists at the intersection of HEOR and capital

The ISPOR Healthcare Investment Summit brings together biopharma investors, drug developers, policy leaders, and HEOR professionals to examine how products are evaluated, priced, and adopted in an evolving policy environment. The 2026 edition takes place in San Francisco.

For RWE professionals engaged in value demonstration, pre-launch evidence planning, or commercial strategy, this summit connects evidence generation directly with investment and access outcomes.

Strengths: Investor/industry crossover, value strategy, commercial evidence framing.

Considerations: Not a scientific or methods forum; most valuable for commercially oriented RWE teams.

9. ISPOR Europe 2026 (8–11 November 2026, Vienna, Austria)

Best for European HEOR, HTA, and market access professionals

ISPOR Europe is the Society’s largest annual gathering in the region, drawing 5,000+ attendees from across academia, industry, HTA bodies, payers, and regulators. The 2026 edition in Vienna covers HTA, RWE generation and application, pricing, and reimbursement strategies across European markets.

For teams working on EU HTA regulation, joint clinical assessments, or multi-market access strategies, ISPOR Europe provides a scale and breadth of engagement that few other events can match.

Strengths: European HTA community depth, policy and market access scope, scale.

Considerations: RWE is one stream within a large, multidisciplinary programme.

10. GlobalBSG Pharma Pricing & Market Access Innovation Summit (12–13 November 2026, Vienna, Austria)

Best for senior pricing and access executives exploring value demonstration strategies

The GlobalBSG summit brings together senior executives in pricing, HEOR, market access, payer engagement, and regulatory affairs. The 2026 edition in Vienna focuses on affordability, value demonstration, and access innovation across international markets.

For RWE teams whose work connects directly to pricing decisions and reimbursement frameworks, this summit provides a senior forum for commercial-stage evidence strategy discussions.

Strengths: Senior commercial audience, pricing/access integration, international scope.

Considerations: Smaller event; limited scientific or methods content.

Why RWE Connect 2026 Needs to Be on Your Calendar

The RWE field has a signal-to-noise problem. Most conferences that claim to cover real-world evidence are broad pharma events with one RWE track buried between six others. The senior people you actually need to meet are spread thin across three days and four simultaneous session streams.

RWE Connect is built differently. Every session, every speaker, every format choice is oriented around one thing: real-world evidence.

That focus changes the quality of the room. When 200-plus senior professionals all work in the same discipline, the conversations in the coffee breaks are as valuable as the sessions themselves.

What’s on the RWE Connect’s agenda?

The RWE speakers are decision-makers, not placeholders.

Heads of Global HEOR. RWE Directors. Epidemiology leads. VP-level market access professionals. These are not people who were sent because the budget holder could not make it. They are the budget holders. Confirmed participants include senior leaders from Gilead Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim, BioMarin, Novo Nordisk, Bayer, and Alcon.

The format is built for outcomes, not optics.

The Partnering Lounge runs structured 1:1 meetings. Pre-scheduled, private, purposeful. Not a networking cocktail hour where you trade business cards with someone whose badge you cannot read. Masterclass workshops are hands-on. You leave with frameworks you can apply on Monday morning.

The Startup Pavilion shows you what the next generation of RWE tools looks like before your competitors have evaluated them.

Boston is not a coincidence.

The Greater Boston area is home to hundreds of biopharma headquarters, R&D centres, and innovation hubs. Harvard, MIT, and the city’s academic medical centres feed the attendee list with scientific credibility. Leading RWD companies, including Truveta, Forian, and Arcadia, are active in this market. The location maximises the concentration of the right people in one room. Check out our sponsors.

Register for RWE Connect 2026 today →