Call for abstacts.

APCS 2026 Entice. Engage. Empower.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan | Date TBC

Submit by: TBC

Eligible abstracts will be considered for the APCS 2026 Community and Researcher Scholarships.

About APCS 2026

Now in its 8th year, the Asia-Pacific Chemsex Symposium (APCS) is a regional platform advancing dialogue, care, and policy on chemsex across Asia and the Pacific. APCS convenes community members, healthcare professionals, researchers, CSOs/NGOs, policymakers, donors, and allies to co-create solutions rooted in lived realities.

Chemsex intersects with HIV, STIs, mental health, criminalisation, and stigma. Yet gaps persist in person-centred services, mental health integration, peer outreach, and evidence-based policy. APCS provides a rare and vital space to bridge these gaps and uplift community-rooted, rights-based responses.

Join Us To:

Share insights on chemsex trends, practices, and needs across the Asia-Pacific region
Promote affirming, culturally responsive, and context-appropriate care
Strengthen provider capacity, knowledge exchange, and research
Advance enabling laws and policies
Build resilient systems of care led by and for communities

Submission Guidelines

The APCS 2026 organising committee invites submissions of abstracts with a focus on chemsex, harm reduction, and related intersectional issues including HIV/STI testing, prevention and treatment, sexual consent and violence, mental health services, social and legal/rights services, stigma reduction, drug policies and law enforcement practices, and integrated and peer-led/community-based chemsex harm reduction models.

All abstracts must:

Be written in English
Not exceed 350 words
Encore submissions will be considered

Submission Tracks

Social and behavioral sciences (including gender-based violence and consent for sex/substance use)
Mental health
Evidence-based programmatic practice and implementation (including implementation science and service delivery improvements)
Epidemiology, surveillance, modelling and monitoring
Clinical science (including screening, clinical assessment tools and management)
Community systems strengthening and partnerships (including health systems and enabling environment)
Laws, policies, human rights and gender

Alignment with APCS 2026 Theme

Abstracts should clearly articulate how they align with the symposium theme of "Entice. Engage. Empower."

Entice

Topics that spark curiosity and open dialogue around the evolving landscape of chemsex in the Asia-Pacific: patterns of use, risks, harm reduction responses, and the policy and legal environment.

Engage

Topics that bring together communities, health systems, and partners to exchange knowledge, strengthen collaboration, and drive evidence-based, integrated responses to chemsex.

Empower

Topics that centre community voices, lived experiences, and leadership — highlighting innovations, rights-based care, and strategies for building inclusive, affirming, and resilient systems of care.

Submission Formats

1. Research

Conducted across disciplines. Suggested structure: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions.

2. Lessons Learnt

Through programme, project, or policy implementation or management. Suggested structure: Background, Description, Lessons Learnt, Conclusion/Next Steps.

The use of a structured abstract is highly encouraged, but not essential. Submissions can be made as an individual, an organisation, or as a group/consortium of collaborators. Please indicate your preference for oral and/or poster presentation.

Scholarships

Selected abstracts will be offered full or partial scholarships for attendance at the Symposium, with priority given to submissions by community members and advocates.

Abstract Review Process

All submissions will undergo blind peer review by at least two reviewers from the APCS Programme Advisory Group. Reviewers will consider:

Clear background and justified objective
Appropriate methodology, study design, or implementation approach
Well-supported and clearly presented results or lessons learned
Conclusions supported by results
Originality and contribution to the field

Abstracts should use person-centred, respectful, and stigma-free language. We recommend NIDA's Words Matter or Shatterproof's Addiction Language Guide as references.

The APCS 2026 Organising Committee will make the final selection. Selected abstracts will be notified via email and offered either oral or poster presentation at the symposium.