The United States destroys $ 9.7 million in contraceptives. Is there another option?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed plans to destroy the contraceptive methods of the taxpayer with millions of dollars allocated to women in low -income countries. This controversial step comes as the Trump administration continues to expand the scope of external aid.

A group of family planning products – including IUD, planting and grains – has been suspended at $ 9.7 million in a warehouse in Belgium since the administration Dismantling the American Agency for International Development and Foreign aid freezes Earlier this year, according to data from multiple humanitarian groups and American legislators.

Product expam dates range from 2027 to 2031, according to Doctors without limits (Médecins Sans Frontières or MSF) and non -profit reproductive health care MSI United States.

The contraceptive methods were intended for girls and women in low -income countries, especially in sub -Saharan Africa. But instead of going to the crisis areas and refugee camps, it will be burned in Europe.

In a joint statement with NPR, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the United States will spend $ 167,000 to destroy the contraceptive methods in a French facility dealing with medical waste.

"Only a limited number of commodities is approved to get rid of it," He said, adding that no drugs in HIV or condoms are destroyed.

Many international humanitarian organizations, including MSI, doctors without borders and UNFPA – the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency – have tried to buy supplies from the United States but have been rejected.

Critics of the plan-including some legislators in the United States and France-are now able to pressure to change at the last minute before the shares are destroyed at the end of July.

They say that the lives of millions of people will be at risk of complications from unwanted or unwanted pregnancies.

Chelsea Police, the main research scientist at the Goette Institute, which supports abortion rights, NPR told the birthday of $ 9.7 million to provide pregnancy prevention for more than 650,000 people for up to one year, and 950,000 people for three to 10 years, depending on this method.

"These are necessary supplies and saving life that would support reproductive reproductive independence and prevent unsafe abortion and maternal mortality-which were lost and destroyed at the expense of American taxpayers, despite the offers from global partners to distribute them to women and needy families," She added.

In a typical year, helping family planning from the United States government – one of the largest global donors for such programs – prevents 8.1 million unintended pregnancy, 5.2 million unsafe abortion and 34,000 deaths from the mother, according to what it said, according to what it said. Senator Jin Shaheen OfficeDN.H, from Send a message To Foreign Minister Marco Rubio earlier this month, he is asked to reversed the path.

He created the withdrawal of Trump administration money gaps "Disable the entire global system for these services," Doctors Without Borders, who notes, says that against the background of this increasing demand that the contraceptive methods are burned.

"The destruction of the valuable medical elements that the taxpayers already paid in the United States do nothing to combat waste or improve efficiency," Avril Benoît, CEO of US Offices of the United States for Medicines Without Borders, said. "This administration is ready to burn birth control and allow food supplies to rot, risk the health of people and the life of a political agenda."

Why did the United States not sell contraceptives?

Types of products in stock – such as birth control pills and transplant birth control – aim to work before fertilization to prevent pregnancy in the first place.

But in its statement to NPR, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated this "Introduction to birth control commodities" – In reference to the substances that cause the end of the pregnancy.

An American policy called "Mexico City Policy," I put By President Ronald Reagan during the 1984 conference in that city, foreign NGOs restricts the use of US federal funds to provide abortion or relevant information services. The presidents have alternated and alternated politics since its establishment; Recently, Trump returned it At the beginning of his second term.

One Several human groups This tried to buy contraceptives that the United States government mentioned this policy as reasons for rejecting their offers.

MSI reproductive options said in a statement of her presentation "Buy and re -fill and manage logistics services at our expense" To get products for people in need.

But she said that these efforts were rejected again and again, "With the martyrdom of the US government, the city of Mexico" Among other concerns.

Shaheen BBC said Last week that the products concerned have "There is nothing to abort."

"This, again, another excuse used by the administration to try to provide a kind of interpretation for the reason for burning more than $ 10 million in family planning supplies that women around the world need," She said.

What is being done to try to save the stock?

The Belgium government, where the products are currently sitting in a warehouse in the city of Jill, says it has appealed to the American embassy in Brussels in the hope of protecting it.

"(Ministry of Foreign Affairs explores all possible ways to prevent the destruction of these shares, including their temporary transfer," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Florenda Balissi NPR told NPR on Monday, and she refused to clarify "In order not to pre -judge the results of the discussions."

And some left -wing legislators in France, where products are scheduled to be charged for destruction, are pressuring their government not to participate in their destruction.

Many legislators fell Open message For French President Emmanuel Macron, saying the country "It cannot become complicit, even indirectly, in paper policies, and does not tolerate the destruction of biomedical resources."

"Since this burn will happen on French soil, we have ways to oppose it," The leader of the French Party of Akdar Marine Tongiller, one of the signers, Books on x. "We refuse to allow France to become the trash to preserve the volatile America."

Macron urges to request the suspension of the plan "As part of a joint diplomatic initiative with the European Commission" And support humanitarian organizations that wish to redistribute products.

Ultimately, MSF says the best path forward is to be contraceptive to reach the ministries of health in the countries you need as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in the United States, two Democrats-SNS. Shaheen and Brian Chatez, D-Hi. It has provided legislation that would prevent the destruction of external assistance goods such as food and medical devices.

the "Save lives and taxpayers law" It would prohibit the destruction of these elements – including $ 9.7 million in stock of birth control. "Unless all the efforts made to sell or donate them are exhausted."

Copyright 2025, NPR