$10 million in contraceptives destroyed on orders from Trump officials
What's the story
A stockpile of $9.7 million worth of contraceptives, which was stuck at a Belgium warehouse for months following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) earlier this year, has now been destroyed. The products included birth control pills, intrauterine devices, and hormonal implants. The decision was made after the US government ruled them as "non-life-saving" and decided to stop funding such purchases for low-income countries.
Policy shift
Destruction cost and abortion claims
A State Department spokesperson said the destruction was carried out at a cost of $167,000. The spokesperson claimed the pills caused abortions, stating, "President Trump is committed to protecting the lives of unborn children all around the world. The administration will no longer supply abortifacient birth control under the guise of foreign aid."
Docs
Organizations offered to buy them
The New York Times obtained internal documents and correspondence from the State Department and USAID, which revealed that several international organizations, including the Gates Foundation and the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, offered to purchase or accept contraceptives as donations. Under those plans, the US government would have incurred no costs and may potentially recoup taxpayer funds.
Drugs
Belgium called on Trump administration to abandon plan
As the New York Times pointed out, under US law, USAID is not permitted to procure abortifacients (abortion-inducing medications). However, the newspaper also discovered that none of the products held in the Belgian warehouse were abortifacients. The inventory list instead shows that the drugs stopped pregnancy by preventing ovulation or fertilization. Last week, Belgium had even called on the Trump administration to abandon its plan to destroy the contraceptives, mostly bound for sub-Saharan Africa.
Health impact
Criticism and intervention
But on Thursday, the New York Times confirmed the news of the destruction, citing a USAID spokeswoman. The decision has been criticized by the medical community. Beth Schlachter from MSI Reproductive Choices called it "an outrageous act of cruelty," saying it would cost lives and derail progress in global health. The contraceptives were intended to help people in low-income nations and have expiration dates ranging from 2027 to 2031, according to Doctors Without Borders.