US-funded contraceptives for poor nations to be burned in France, sources say

U.S.-funded contraceptives valued at nearly $10 million are being sent from a warehouse in Geel, Belgium, to France for incineration, following President Donald Trump’s January 2025 decision to freeze U.S. foreign aid and shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The supplies, including contraceptive implants, pills, and intrauterine devices meant to prevent unwanted pregnancies, were intended for poor nations but have been stuck in storage for months. The U.S. rejected offers from the United Nations (UNFPA) and family planning organizations, such as MSI Reproductive Choices, to buy or distribute the supplies, citing the Mexico City policy, which prohibits U.S. funding to organizations linked to abortion services. The incineration, costing $160,000, will occur at a French medical waste facility, requiring dozens of truckloads over at least two weeks. The contraceptives have expiration dates between April 2027 and September 2031, meaning they could have been used if redistributed. U.S. lawmakers introduced two bills in July 2025 to prevent the destruction, but aid groups say these are unlikely to pass in time. Critics, including MSI and the Belgian foreign ministry, condemned the decision as wasteful and ideologically driven, arguing it undermines global reproductive health efforts.