National Health Day, commemorated annually on 12 November, serves as an important reminder of the need to strengthen healthcare systems, improve patient safety, and promote evidence-based research and innovation. In line with these goals, drug overdose has become one of the most pressing global public health challenges. Overdose may arise not only from the misuse of illicit substances but also from medication errors, inappropriate prescribing, drug interactions, self-medication, and limited health literacy. Preventing overdose therefore requires a comprehensive approach involving rational medicine use, timely antidote therapy, effective patient education, and strong interprofessional collaboration.

To support these efforts, the Faculty of Pharmacy, Mulawarman University, through PILLARS (International Pharmacy Collaboration on Research and Science), organizes an international academic competition to commemorate National Health Day 2026. This initiative provides a platform for students of pharmacy, medicine, and public health to demonstrate their scientific knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, and evidence-based problem-solving skills while fostering international collaboration and academic exchange.

The competition consists of two categories: the International Mini Review Competition and the International Scientific Poster Competition. Both competitions encourage participants to critically examine contemporary issues related to drug overdose through multidisciplinary perspectives. Participants are expected to produce original, evidence-based scientific work that contributes to medication safety, overdose prevention, patient care, and public health.

This year's competition is centered on the overarching theme "Overdose." Participants are invited to explore a wide range of related topics, including overdose prevention, toxicology, antidote therapy, drug interactions, medication safety, digital health literacy, interprofessional collaboration, and strategies to protect vulnerable populations. Through these subthemes, PILLARS aims to inspire innovative solutions, strengthen scientific excellence, and empower future healthcare professionals to contribute to safer medication use and improved global health.