College on Problems of Drug Dependence

What College on Problems of Drug Dependence does

The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), founded in 1929 and rebranded from the "Committee on Problems of Drug Dependence" to its current name in 1991, is the longest-standing US organization dedicated to advancing the science of drug use, misuse, and dependence. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee and run operationally by Parthenon Management Group under an Executive Director (Jesse Howard), CPDD is an independent nonprofit scientific membership society that serves a horizontal community of more than 1,000 basic scientists, clinical investigators, regulatory and government representatives, and industry stakeholders spanning pharmacology, neurobiology, behavioral science, psychiatry, epidemiology, and prevention research. It operates as the convening interface among governmental, industrial, and academic communities in addiction science, a role it has held continuously through its liaison relationships with agencies such as NIDA and through its publications and policy positions.

CPDD's core offerings are organized around five asset pillars: (i) two peer-reviewed Elsevier journals — Drug and Alcohol Dependence and Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports — which the society sponsors; (ii) an annual scientific meeting, held every year since 1938 (with virtual editions in 2020 and 2021) and expected to draw approximately 1,300 attendees in 2027; (iii) a tiered individual membership program (Member-In-Training $50, Professional $100, Regular/Associate/Fellow $225, all annual) plus a $5,000/year Corporate Membership; (iv) a portfolio of awards, grants, and travel fellowships — including the Nathan B. Eddy, Marian W. Fischman, Joseph Cochin Young Investigator, Robert Balster Mentorship, and Mary Jeanne Kreek awards, plus $10,000 Early Career Investigator Grants (currently on hold) and ~20 NIDA Director's Travel Awards; and (v) the newly launched CPDD thinklab Research Training & Career Development Series (May 2026), the CPDD-AMP Animals in Research Policy Fellowship (with Americans for Medical Progress), and an Advocacy Day that mobilizes members to engage congressional offices. Revenue is generated from annual individual and corporate membership dues, conference registration (member early-bird $525–$910 depending on tier vs. non-member $700–$800), corporate and event sponsorships/exhibits, journal-related royalties and Elsevier economics, and a donations program anchored by the 1929 Sustaining Society and named memorial funds. CPDD publishes Form 990 filings (2014-2022), and its governance is led by a rotating scientist-president (current: Judith Tsui, PhD for 2026-2027) with a Treasurer (William Stoops, PhD) and a board of ~16 directors drawn from the membership.

Name

College on Problems of Drug Dependence

Legal name

College on Problems of Drug Dependence

Website

https://cpdd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD), founded in 1929, is the oldest US scientific membership organization advancing addiction and substance use research, serving more than 1,000 researchers through an annual scientific meeting, two Elsevier-sponsored journals, and grants and awards programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Scientific Society / Addiction Research Membership Organization

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Professional Organizations (81392), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health & Counseling (Social Work, Psychology, Substance Use CE) (EDAAALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Non-Communicable Disease Prevention & Chronic Disease Programs (BPAIAJAI)

Keywords

• Addiction science research
• Scientific society membership
• Substance use disorder research
• Academic conference organization
• Peer-reviewed pharmacology journal

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from individual members at various levels (Member-In-Training $50, Professional $100, Regular/Associate/Fellow $225), providing access to member benefits including journal subscriptions, meeting discounts, and Listserv access.
2. Annual Scientific Meeting: Registration fees for the annual scientific meeting, with member discounts. Conference attracts approximately 1,300 attendees including international participants, with sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities for organizations.
3. Corporate Membership: Corporate membership at $5,000/year entitles five company participants to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting at member rate, corporation listing as Corporate Member, sponsorship of unlimited abstracts, and subscription to Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal.
4. Donations and Named Funds: Donations accepted through the 1929 Sustaining Society program (monthly contributions or annual gifts of $500+), with specific funds including the James L. Sorensen Memorial PhD Fund, Bob Balster Mentorship Award, various travel awards, and named lecture awards.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CPDD is an independent, nonprofit scientific membership organization that advances substance use and addictive disorder research. It runs the Annual Scientific Meeting (since 1938, ~1,300 attendees), sponsors the Drug and Alcohol Dependence and Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports journals published by Elsevier, and delivers a tiered individual and corporate membership program along with awards, grants, travel fellowships, advocacy, and training programs for addiction researchers.

Product overview

The College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) is a membership organization that serves as a forum for addiction science researchers. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including two academic journals (Drug and Alcohol Dependence and Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, published by Elsevier), an Annual Scientific Meeting (held since 1938 with approximately 1,300 expected attendees), the CPDD thinklab Research Training & Career Development Series, grant programs (Early Career Investigator Grant), awards programs (Awards for Excellence with multiple categories), travel awards for early career investigators, and the CPDD/AMP Animals in Research Policy Fellowship. CPDD also offers membership programs (Member-In-Training, Professional, Associate, Regular, Fellow, and Corporate) providing benefits such as journal access, meeting discounts, and professional development opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drug and Alcohol Dependence (Journal) International, peer-reviewed academic journal sponsored by CPDD and published by Elsevier, providing quality, timely reports of scientific advances in substance use research; available to CPDD members via subscription.
• Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports (Journal) Companion journal to Drug and Alcohol Dependence, also published by Elsevier, providing additional reports on substance use research for the addiction science community.
• CPDD Annual Scientific Meeting Annual scientific conference (held since 1938, 87th meeting held in 2025 in New Orleans, 88th scheduled for 2027) serving as the primary forum for basic scientists, clinical investigators, government representatives, and regulatory agencies to discuss biochemical, behavioral, and public health aspects of drug dependence; expected attendance approximately 1,300.
• CPDD thinklab (Research Training & Career Development Series) Research Training & Career Development webinar series introduced by the CPDD Education Committee in May 2026, providing training and career development for researchers in the substance use disorder field.
• CPDD Early Career Investigator Grant Grant program providing $10,000 plus meeting registration to post-doctoral recipients to support specific projects in substance use disorder research; three recipients selected annually including one with a diversity project preference.
• CPDD Awards for Excellence Annual awards program recognizing achievement and advancement in scientific studies of substance use disorder, with multiple award categories such as Nathan B. Eddy Memorial Award, Marian W. Fischman Lectureship Award, Joseph Cochin Young Investigator Award, Martin and Toby Adler Distinguished Service Award, and others.
• CPDD Travel Awards Competitive travel fellowships (up to $1,500) for pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral scientists within 5 years of terminal degree to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting; includes Stephen G. Holtzman Travel Award for preclinical investigators, CPDD International Travel Awards, NIDA Director's Travel Awards, MySafeRx Technology-Based Treatments for Addiction Travel Award, F.O.R.C.E. Junior Investigator Travel Award, CPDD Primm-Singleton Minority Travel Award, and NIDA Women & Sex/Gender Junior Investigator Travel Award.
• CPDD Individual Membership Tiered individual membership program ($50 Member-In-Training, $100 Professional, $225 Regular/Associate/Fellow annually) providing online journal subscription, Listserv access, mentorship activities, committee participation, advocacy engagement, and discounted meeting registration for addiction science researchers.
• CPDD Corporate Membership Corporate membership at $5,000/year entitling five company participants to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting at the member rate, listing the corporation as a Corporate Member, sponsoring unlimited abstracts, and receiving a subscription to the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal.
• CPDD/AMP Animals in Research Policy Fellowship Fellowship program launched in partnership with Americans for Medical Progress (AMP) supporting researchers engaging in animal research policy advocacy.

Quantifiable outcome

• Annual scientific meeting with approximately 1,300 attendees including international participants
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ElseviercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPDD sponsors the journals Drug and Alcohol Dependence and Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports, published by Elsevier. These international, interdisciplinary journals provide a source of quality, timely reports of scientific advances in substance use research. A principal goal is to provide contributors access to peer-reviewed publication.
• Friends of NIDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPDD has a liaison relationship with Friends of NIDA as part of its scientific and professional affiliations. This relationship supports advocacy for NIDA funding and substance use disorder research.
• Americans for Medical Progress (AMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPDD, in partnership with Americans for Medical Progress (AMP), launched the CPDD-AMP Animals in Research Policy Fellowship to support scientists engaging in animal research policy advocacy.
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNIDA and CPDD support International Travel Awards for up to two substance abuse researchers from low-income countries, NIDA Director's Travel Awards for approximately 20 early career investigators, and the NIDA International Forum held in conjunction with the CPDD meeting.
• MySafeRx Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMySafeRx Inc., a nonprofit organization, sponsors the Technology-Based Treatments for Addiction Travel Award ($2,000) for scientists conducting technology-based interventions for addiction treatment and medication adherence research at the CPDD Annual Meeting.
• Indivior, Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndivior, Inc. sponsors the Innovator Award given every other year by CPDD to recognize individuals who have developed innovative approaches in basic science, clinical research, or treatment and prevention science.
• Parthenon Management GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerParthenon Management Group serves as the Executive Office and management company for CPDD operations, handling day-to-day administration including meeting management and member services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA): Closest peer — a U.S.-based scientific research society focused on alcohol use disorder, with a similar annual scientific meeting, peer-reviewed journal (Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research), and member-driven governance model. Like CPDD, it convenes basic scientists, clinical investigators, and government stakeholders around addiction research.
• American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM): A leading U.S. medical specialty society focused on addiction medicine, with physician membership, annual conference, and a portfolio of guidelines and educational programs. Comparable to CPDD in scope and member-driven delivery model, though with a more clinical (vs. basic science) orientation.
• College on Problems of Drug Dependence - this is the anchor, so substituting with the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco (SRNT): An international scientific society dedicated to nicotine and tobacco research, with annual meetings, peer-reviewed journal (Nicotine & Tobacco Research), and training awards. Highly comparable to CPDD's mission structure for a specific substance class.
• International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE): An international organization of editors of addiction-related scientific journals, with publishing ethics and editorial guidance as its core mission. Comparable to CPDD as a specialized scholarly society supporting addiction research dissemination.
• American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD): A national organization representing opioid treatment programs, with a major biennial conference and advocacy function. Comparable to CPDD in the U.S. addiction ecosystem, though with a more clinical/policy focus vs. CPDD's research orientation.

Broad incumbents

• Society for Neuroscience (SfN): A much larger professional society covering neuroscience broadly, with a major annual meeting (Neuroscience 2025) and the Journal of Neuroscience. Comparable to CPDD in model and structure, but reaches a far broader audience and overlaps with addiction research as a subset.
• American Psychological Association (APA): The largest professional association of psychologists in the U.S., with annual convention, peer-reviewed journals, and continuing education programs. Comparable to CPDD as a learned society offering CE, conferences, and publications, though vastly broader in scope.
• American Psychiatric Association (APA): The main professional society for psychiatrists in the U.S., with an annual meeting, American Journal of Psychiatry, and DSM development. Comparable to CPDD's role in convening clinical addiction researchers, but operating at a vastly larger scale and broader scope.
• American Public Health Association (APHA): A broad public health professional association with annual meeting, peer-reviewed journal (American Journal of Public Health), and policy advocacy. Comparable to CPDD as a learned society with policy advocacy and continuing education, but operating at a much larger scale and broader public health scope.

Others

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): The U.S. federal agency that supports most addiction research funding. NIDA is a core partner of CPDD (co-sponsoring travel awards, the NIDA International Forum, and Advocacy Day) and is the primary funder of the research community CPDD serves — making it a key ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CPDDORG
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/CPDDmembers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cpdd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about College on Problems of Drug Dependence