APCS2024 | Chemsex Symposium

November 19 -20 2025, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Welcome to APCS 2025

Welcome to the 7th Asia Pacific Chem-use Symposium (APCS) 2025, hosted in multicultural and dynamic Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC), Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF), PT Foundation, Universiti Malaya (UM), Centre of Excellence for Research in AIDS (CERiA–Universiti Malaya), the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI, Thailand), and HIV Education and Research Taiwan (HEArT, Taiwan).

Since its inception in 2019, APCS has become a vital platform for exploring the complex intersections of chemsex, public health, drug policy, human rights, and community empowerment. The symposium offers a unique and inclusive space where community members, health professionals, civil society, researchers, donors, and policy makers can come together to exchange knowledge, align priorities, and co-create solutions.

For the second year in a row, APCS will be hosted outside its country of origin, Taiwan—underscoring its growth into a truly regional forum that reflects the diversity of experiences, practices, and needs across Asia Pacific.

Join us at APCS 2025 and be part of shaping a stronger, more effective regional response to chem-use.

In Kuala Lumpur for the first time

“Chems. Choices. Community”

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

Explore evolving chemsex trends, practices, and substances in Asia Pacific - including localised drivers, community experiences, and emerging needs - to inform responsive, choice-based, and culturally relevant health services, and policies.

Support learning, capacity strengthening, and knowledge exchange among healthcare providers, practitioners, and researchers to promote more affirming, informed, and contextually appropriate approaches to chemsex-related care and research.

Foster cross-sectoral collaboration and co-creation among people with lived experience, healthcare providers, community organisations, researchers, policymakers, and donors to build resilient, community-rooted systems of care.

Advance people-centered, evidence-informed, and agency-affirming harm reduction practices that prioritise autonomy, dignity, and the mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities engaged in chemsex

Promote enabling, rights-based policies that support safe, stigma-free, and accessible chemsex-related services and protect the health and rights of people who engage in chemsex.