US to Incinerate $9.7M of Its Own Aid Contraceptives

Belgian warehouse holds millions in unused family planning supplies that were to be sent overseas
Posted Jul 29, 2025 1:15 PM CDT
US Wants to Destroy $9.7M of Its Own Aid Contraceptives
A woman holds a packet of contraceptive pills.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

The Trump administration plans to destroy roughly $9.7 million worth of US-funded contraceptives, currently sitting in a Belgian warehouse, after labeling some of them as "abortifacients" under rules reinstated when President Trump returned to office. The stockpile—intended for international aid—includes more than 50,000 IUDs, nearly 2 million injectable doses, 900,000 implants, and over 2 million packets of oral birth control, reports the Washington Post. Critics, including Belgium's government, the United Nations, and humanitarian groups, say these supplies are desperately needed in developing countries, estimating they could help prevent unplanned pregnancies for up to 950,000 women over several years.

The State Department says only a "limited number" of items are slated for disposal and no HIV medication or condoms will be destroyed. However, officials declined to clarify which products are considered "abortifacients," even as medical experts note standard contraceptives do not induce abortions, but prevent conception. "These are essential, lifesaving supplies that would have supported reproductive autonomy and prevented unsafe abortions and maternal deaths—being wasted and destroyed at U.S. taxpayers' expense, despite offers from global partners to distribute them to women and families in need," says Chelsea Polis of the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. Doctors Without Borders tells NPR that the products involved carry expiration dates ranging from 2027 to 2031.

Belgium, the UN Population Fund, and groups like International Planned Parenthood tried to find alternatives to destruction—including offers to purchase and distribute the contraceptives—but failed to reach a solution. A State Department spokesperson cited the revived Mexico City policy, which bars funding to organizations linked to abortion services, as the rationale behind the move. The cost to incinerate the supplies is pegged at $167,000, while officials claim canceling future orders will save millions. Lawmakers from both parties have objected, urging a reversal and introducing legislation to halt the disposal, which is slated for the end of July.

Read These Next
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X