Latest news with #contraceptives
The Herald
3 days ago
- Health
- The Herald
Contraceptives for sub-Saharan Africa stuck in warehouses after US aid cuts
Contraceptives that could help prevent millions of unwanted pregnancies in some of the world's poorest countries are stuck in warehouses because of US aid cuts and could be destroyed, two aid industry sources and one former government official said. The stock, held in Belgium and Dubai, includes condoms, contraceptive implants, pills and intrauterine devices, together worth about $11m (R195.5m), the sources told Reuters. It has been stalled since the Trump administration started cutting foreign aid as part of its 'America First' policy in February, as the US government no longer wants to donate the contraceptives or pay the costs for delivery, they said. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has instead asked the contractor managing its health supply chain, Chemonics, to try to sell it, two of the sources said. An internal USAID memo, sent in April, said a quantity of contraceptives was being kept in warehouses and they should be 'immediately transferred to another entity to prevent waste or additional costs'. A senior US state department official told Reuters no decision had been made about the future of the contraceptives. They did not respond to questions about the reasons why the contraceptives were in storage or the impact of the US aid cuts and delays.
Medscape
3 days ago
- Business
- Medscape
Contraceptives for Poorest Countries Stuck in Warehouses After US Aid Cuts
LONDON (Reuters) -Contraceptives that could help prevent millions of unwanted pregnancies in some of the world's poorest countries are stuck in warehouses because of U.S. aid cuts and could be destroyed, two aid industry sources and one former government official said. The stock, held in Belgium and Dubai, includes condoms, contraceptive implants, pills and intrauterine devices, together worth around $11 million, the sources told Reuters. It has been stalled since the Trump administration started cutting foreign aid as part of its 'America First' policy in February, as the U.S. government no longer wants to donate the contraceptives or pay the costs for delivery, they said. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has instead asked the contractor managing its health supply chain, Chemonics, to try to sell it, two of the sources said. An internal USAID memo, sent in April, said a quantity of contraceptives was being kept in warehouses and they should be "immediately transferred to another entity to prevent waste or additional costs". A senior U.S. State Department official told Reuters no decision had been made about the future of the contraceptives. They did not respond to questions about the reasons why the contraceptives were in storage or the impact of the U.S. aid cuts and delays. A spokesperson for Chemonics said they were unable to comment on USAID's plans, but added that the company is working with clients to deliver life-saving aid globally and would continue to support the U.S. government's global health supply chain priorities. The stock represents just under 20% of the supply of contraceptives bought annually by the U.S. for donation overseas, a former USAID official told Reuters. Selling or donating the contraceptives has been challenging, according to the former USAID official, although talks are ongoing. Another option on the table is destroying it, at a cost of several hundred thousand dollars. As time goes on, shelf-lives will also become an issue, one of the sources said. The sources told Reuters that one of the key delays is a lack of response from the U.S. government about what should be done with the stock. It had been destined largely for vulnerable women in sub-Saharan Africa, including young girls who face higher health risks from early pregnancy as well as those fleeing conflict or who otherwise could not afford or access the contraceptives, the sources added. The condoms also help stop the spread of HIV, the former USAID official said. "We cannot dwell on an issue for too long; when urgency and clarity don't align, we have to move on," said Karen Hong, chief of UNFPA's supply chain. She said the agency is now working on Plan B to help fill critical supply gaps. (Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
The Independent
4 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Trump team set to destroy $12m worth of HIV drugs and contraceptives that were bought before closing USAID
Roughly $12 million worth of HIV-prevention drugs and contraceptives purchased by the U.S. Agency for International Development will likely be destroyed after President Donald Trump dismantled the organization, according to a report. These drugs have been sitting in distribution centers in Belgium and the UAE since January, when Trump ended the agency's spending, The Washington Post reported. Now, negotiators have been instructed to sell the drugs or else they'll be thrown out, according to the outlet. 'The mandate that [the USAID negotiator] has been given is 'get us money for it, and if you can't do that, we're just going to trash it,'' someone with knowledge of the situation told the Post. These supplies include more than 26 million condoms, 2 million doses of injectable birth control, millions of packages of oral birth control, hundreds of thousands of implantable contraceptive devices, and over 50,000 vials of a drug that prevents HIV contraction, the Post reports. Some of these supplies were earmarked for 18 countries, meaning those governments may never get the aid even though it was already purchased, according to the Post. When contacted for comment, a senior State Department official told The Independent that the Post has 'once again delivered fake news' and the 'story is full of inaccuracies.' Atul Gawande, a former assistant USAID administrator, told the Post the potential destruction of these drugs is 'inconceivable.' Meanwhile, Former USAID head Andrew Natsios called the decision 'nuts.' 'At this point, just give it away instead of destroying it, for heaven's sakes,' he told the Post. Trump cut off USAID funds in January, saying the organization that provides humanitarian aid abroad is 'not aligned with American interests.' The Trump administration is also poised to ask Congress for $8.3 billion in cuts to foreign aid efforts, which range from climate work to LGBTQ+ programs, The Independent previously reported. The decision has derailed the projected end of the AIDS pandemic and means the number of AIDS-related deaths could jump from six million to 10 million in the next five years unless aid is reinstated, The Independent previously reported. Data projections indicate there will be 3.4 million more orphans who have lost at least one parent to AIDS, and 600,000 more newborns could contract HIV by 2030. 'All the gains that we've seen over the last 20 years will start being steadily reversed,' Professor Francois Venter, a leading HIV doctor at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, previously told The Independent. Hadja, a 27-year-old mother of three in Uganda, previously told The Independent she has lost access to lifesaving medication since Trump effectively shut down USAID. 'Our lives depend on medicine – without it, our lives are shortened,' she said. 'If I die, my children will suffer.'
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
The U.S. bought $12 million in aid for poor nations. Under Trump, it may be destroyed.
More than $12 million worth of contraceptives and HIV-prevention medications purchased by the U.S. government as aid for developing countries under programs that have since been discontinued will probably be destroyed unless officials sell or otherwise off-load them, an examination by The Washington Post found. Government records obtained by The Post reveal that virtually all of the supplies have been sitting in distribution centers — one in Belgium and one in the United Arab Emirates — since January, when President Donald Trump halted spending by the U.S. Agency for International Development, saying it was 'not aligned with American interests.' Much of the material is already closer to expiration than many countries would typically accept.
Medscape
07-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Hormonal IUDs Not Linked to Melasma Risk
Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs), unlike oral contraceptives, were not linked with an increased risk for melasma in women with menorrhagia, this study found. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed data from the TriNetX Research Network spanning 95 healthcare organizations from 2001 to 2024, identifying patients with menorrhagia aged 18-52 years who received hormonal contraceptives. Four cohorts included those using combined oral contraceptives (n = 34,286), progestin-only contraceptives (n = 11,831), or hormonal IUDs (n = 10,223), and control individuals who took no hormones. Melasma outcomes were assessed after propensity score matching adjusted for demographics, medications, and comorbidities. TAKEAWAY: Combined oral contraceptives significantly increased melasma risk at 1 year (risk ratio [RR], 2.46; 95% CI, 1.22-4.95), 3 years (RR, 3.25; 95% CI, 2.06-5.14), and 5 years (RR, 3.47; 95% CI, 2.37-5.08). Progestin-only contraceptives significantly increased melasma risk at 3 years (RR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.10-4.84) and 5 years (RR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.07-4.03) but not at 1 year (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.42-2.41). Hormonal IUDs were not associated with the risk for melasma at 1 year (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.42-2.40), 3 years (RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.47-1.72), or 5 years (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.50-1.56). IN PRACTICE: 'The lack of a significant association between hIUDs and melasma incidence suggests that IUDs may be a better option for women concerned about dyspigmentation,' the study authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Debby Cheng, BA, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and was published online on April 24 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology . LIMITATIONS: Dose-response relationships were not evaluated. Additional limitations included treatment adherence and potential misclassification of conditions. DISCLOSURES: This study did not receive any funding. Two authors reported receiving honoraria and advisory fees from multiple companies, including AbbVie, Sun Pharma, Pfizer, Digital Diagnostics, Eli Lilly and Company, and Equillium.
