Birth Control Incineration: The US government plans to incinerate more than $9.7 million worth of contraceptives funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The stockpile, stored in a Belgian warehouse since the Trump administration froze foreign aid and shut down USAID operations, includes birth control pills, implants, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and injectable contraceptives.

According to The New York Times, the destruction will cost over $160,000 in transportation and incineration fees. The medical waste is expected to be burned at a facility in France, even though many of the supplies will not expire until at least 2027, with some lasting until 2029.

State Department Defends Decision

In a statement to The Hill, the US State Department said it made a “preliminary decision” to destroy what it described as “abortifacient” products. However, USAID is prohibited by law from purchasing drugs or devices that induce abortions, and none of the items in the Belgian warehouse fit that description, according to The New York Times.

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The department also cited the Kemp-Kasten amendment, which blocks US assistance to organizations involved in coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization. Officials argued that the policy applies to non-abortifacient contraceptives if supplied to groups that fail to comply with US policy commitments.

Impact on Global Family Planning

The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) warned the move will deprive 1.4 million women and girls across Africa of access to essential reproductive care. Around 77% of the contraceptives were intended for Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Mali and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Tanzania will lose over one million injectable contraceptives and 365,100 implants, representing about 28% of its annual need. Mali will face a shortage of 1.1 million oral contraceptives and nearly 96,000 implants. Zambia will lose 48,400 implants and 295,000 injectable doses, while Kenya will fall short of its contraceptive implant needs by more than 100,000 units.

The Reproductive Health Supplies Coalition estimates the loss will result in 362,000 unintended pregnancies, 161,000 unplanned births and tens of thousands of unsafe abortions.

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Offers to Redistribute Supplies Rejected

Global health organizations, including the United Nations Population Fund and MSI Reproductive Choices, offered to take the supplies at no cost to the US taxpayer. These offers were declined. French reproductive rights groups have urged their government to intervene, but officials say they have no legal authority to seize the goods.

Sarah Shaw, advocacy director at MSI Reproductive Choices, called the decision “egregious,” adding, “Women are going to die because they’ve not had access to those contraceptives,” reports The New York Times.

Strained Health Systems in Affected Countries

Health advocates in the targeted countries say the loss of these supplies will have devastating effects. In Kenya, the Reproductive Health Network reports that long-term contraceptive stockpiles have already run out, leaving a 46% funding gap in the national family planning programme.

Nelly Munyasia, the network’s executive director, told the Guardian, this shortage will worsen maternal mortality rates. “Nearly one in five girls aged 15 to 19 are already pregnant or have given birth. Unsafe abortions remain among the five leading causes of maternal deaths in Kenya,” she said.

In Tanzania, the shortage is already limiting women’s choices for family planning. Dr. Bakari of Umati, an IPPF member organisation, warned that the cuts “directly impact clients’ options” and are likely to result in more unplanned pregnancies, as the Guardian reports.

Political and Legal Justifications

The State Department maintains the destruction is in line with US laws that prevent funding organizations providing abortion services or advocacy abroad. These rules were reinforced under the Trump administration and remain in place.

Officials claim they avoided $34.1 million in additional taxpayer costs by cancelling other pending orders. However, critics argue that burning millions of dollars’ worth of usable, in-demand contraceptives is a waste of resources that undermines global health efforts.

Uncertain Timeline for Destruction

Reports suggest the incineration was planned to begin in France by the end of July, but European governments, advocacy groups and an American congressional office have said it is unclear whether the process has started.

The decision has raised alarms in Brussels and Paris, with officials seeking ways to prevent the loss. So far, no resolution has been found.

A Setback for Women’s Health

For nearly a decade, USAID has been a critical supplier of reproductive health products in more than 30 countries, spending over $600 million on global family planning. Its sudden withdrawal from these programmes has created gaps that poorer nations are struggling to fill.

Siobhan Perkins, a former USAID procurement adviser, told to The New York Times, the contraceptives slated for destruction could have prevented hundreds of thousands of unintended pregnancies and saved more than 700 women’s lives.

“The guiding principle of public health should be to save lives and improve access,” she said. “Destroying these supplies does the opposite.”

A new study from scientists in Miami has raised a big red flag saying that heavy alcohol consumption does not just damage your liver; it could also be quietly harming your pancreas and paving the way to one of the most lethal cancers in the world. While nobody talks much about this organ, it keeps your show running. Sitting behind the stomach, the pancreas organ produces the digestive enzymes that help you break down food, as well as the hormones that regulate your blood sugar.

The fresh study, published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, sheds new light on how alcohol-induced inflammation accelerates the development of the deadly disease.

The Miami researchers discovered that alcohol, in high quantities, can damage the very pancreatic cells that make those enzymes. This injury sparks inflammation that can smoulder away until it creates precancerous lesions. Left unchecked, these can evolve into pancreatic cancer, a disease with a grim reputation.

A gene that could save the day

Not everyone who enjoys a tipple is destined for cancer. For the disease to develop, researchers found that a mutation in a gene called Ras, which controls cell growth, must also be present. But when alcohol was paired with a pro-inflammatory molecule in experiments, the effects mimicked alcohol-induced pancreatitis, complete with inflammation, lesions, and cancer.

The breakthrough? By disabling a gene called CREB, the scientists stopped both precancerous and cancerous lesions from forming. In other words, CREB seems to hold the keys to either the safe or self-destruct modes for your pancreas.

Why this matters more now

Pancreatic cancer kills over 9,000 people in the UK and more than 52,000 in the US every year. The five-year survival rate? About 10 to 12 per cent, among the lowest of any cancer. To make matters worse, cases are rising among younger people, though deaths have not yet spiked.

What makes this cancer so deadly is its silence. Symptoms rarely appear until it has already spread, and by then, treatment options are limited.

The stealthy symptoms you should not ignore

• Belly pain that radiates to your back
• Unexplained weight loss and loss of appetite
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Pale or floating stools, dark urine, and itching
• New or worsening diabetes
• Fatigue or weakness

By the time these appear, the disease is often in an advanced stage, which is why prevention is key.

Defining ‘heavy drinking’

The study defined heavy alcohol use as eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more for men. Over months and years, that adds up to a consistent assault on your pancreas.

Complications that make life harder

Pancreatic cancer isn’t just fatal; it can also cause a series of painful, exhausting complications:

• Weight loss as the body struggles to absorb nutrients
• Blocked bile ducts leading to jaundice
• Abdominal pain from tumors pressing on nerves
• Bowel obstructions
• Painful swelling in the limbs due to blood clots

Reportedly, managing these often requires procedures like stent placements or even nerve-block injections, adding more physical and emotional strain to an already heavy burden.

How to reduce the risk

• Cut back on alcohol: You do not need to go teetotal overnight, but trimming down your weekly intake could protect your pancreas.
• Quit smoking: Tobacco and alcohol together are really bad.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Extra body fat increases inflammation and strains your pancreas.
• Eat for your pancreas: Load your plate with vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, and keep processed foods to a minimum.
• Stay active: Exercise helps manage weight and lowers inflammation.

The UKHSA has noted that a new strain of COVID-19 virus, called Stratus, with two variants, XFG and XFG.3, has accounted for a high proportion cases in England, reports the Independent. Among these two variants, XFG.3 has accounted for 30% of cases in the country.

However, experts have suggested to not panic on the arrival of this new strain. Dr Alex Allen, consultant epidemiologist of UKHSA said, "It is normal for viruses to mutate and change over time," as reported by the Independent. However, the UKHSA has also confirmed that it continues to monitor all strains of COVID in the UK. For now, experts are not concerned over the spread.

What Is Stratus XFG and XFG.3?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), XFG is a "variant under monitoring" and that any health risk posed by this variant remain low at the global level.

As of now, globally, XFG has the highest relative growth when compared to the other variants that are currently active and circulating, including "Nimbus" NB.1.8.1.

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The WHO also confirmed that current data does not indicate that this variant leads to more severe illness or deaths than the other currently active variants in circulation.

Unique Symptoms Of Stratus COVID Strain

While the strain is said to be not a cause of concern, the symptoms may be unique from what we traditionally know COVID symptoms to be.

The WHO however, time and again has said that there is no increase in severity. It said, "While there are reported increases in cases and hospitalisations in some of the [South-east Asia Region] countries, which has the highest proportion of XFG, there are no reports to suggest that the associated disease severity is higher as compared to other circulating variants."

Dr Allen also seconded the opinion and said, "Based on the available information so far, there is no evidence to suggest that the XFG and XFG.3 variants cause more severe disease than previous variants, or that the vaccines in current use will be less effective against them.”

The unique symptoms of Stratus COVID strain includes:

• Sore throat or hoarseness, as experts have also claimed that Stratus can give patients a "hoarse voice".
• Headaches that can last several days
• Nasal congestion and mild fever
• Fatigue that lingers beyond acute phase

Other than these unique symptoms, the common COVID symptoms like change in smell or taste, shortness of breath and chest discomfort remain, however, it may be uncommon in vaccinated individuals.

Are There Any Risks Around The New Stratus Strain?

XFG is growing rapidly compared to co-circulating variants globally. However, XFG exhibits only marginal additional immune evasion over [other varient] LP.8.1. While there are reported increases in cases and hospitalizations in some of the [South-east Asia Region] countries, which has the highest proportion of XFG, there are no reports to suggest that the associated disease severity is higher as compared to other circulating variants. The available evidence on XFG does not suggest additional public health risks relative to the other currently circulating Omicron descendant lineages," said WHO.

Do We Need New Vaccines For The New Strain?

The WHO said that as per the current available data, the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against symptomatic and severe diseases, including caused by the new strain.

However, Dr Kaywaan Khan, Harley Street GP and founder of Hannah London Clinic told Cosmopolitan UK that due to certain mutations in the spike protein in Stratus strain, it could evade antibodies "developed from prior infections or vaccinations".

While WHO noted that the risk of vaccine evasion is low, it also noted that more studies must be added to assess the risk of antibody escape.

Every year, on August 13, World Organ Donation Day is observed, globally, to spread awareness about the importance of organ donation and to make people aware about the misconceptions that surround organ donation.

World Organ Donation Day 2025 Theme And Significance

This year's theme for World Organ Donation Day is 'Answering the Call'. This theme highlights the important function played by the professionals in the organ donation community. What it means is to encourage more to strengthen their dedication to save as many lives as possible through organ donation and transplantation.

The Pace Hospital notes that as of 2021, globally, 1,44,302 organ transplantations had occurred, of which, 26.44% were of deceased organ donation. India performed a total of 12,259 transplantation, contributing to 8% in global transplantations. In India, the most transplants that took place were for kidneys at 74.27%, liver at 23.33%, heart at 1.23%, lung at 1.08%, pancreas at 0.15%, and small intestine at 0.03%.

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The overall number of deceased donors transplantation in India was 4.5%. While the deceased donors transplantation in India was reported 759 for kidney, 279 for liver and 99 for heart, the Indian Ministry of Health's estimated that it needs 175,000 kidneys, 50,000 livers, hearts, and lungs and 2,500 pancreas to meet the demand.

The Indian Ministry of Road and Transport and Highway's 2021 report notes that more than 1.5 lakh were reported as accident-related mortalities, however, only 552 deceased brain deaths organ transplantations took place in 2021. This is why it is more so important to raise awareness about organ donation to help those in requirement and reducing the number of patients on the waiting list.

History Of Organ Donation

It was in 1954, when the first successful organ transplant was performed. It was a kidney transplant by Dr Joseph Murray and his team at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

The donor was Ronald Lee Herrick, who donated his organ to his twin brother Richard Herrick. Later in 1990, the doctor was honored with Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine for bringing advances in organ transplantation.

Th United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) highlights the timeline of the first donations and transplants performed of different organs.

• 1996: First simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplant performed.
• 1967: First successful liver transplant performed.
• 1968: The Southeast Organ Procurement Foundation implemented the first computer-based organ matching system, which was dubbed as UNOS. It successfully performed the first isolated pancreas transplant and heart transplant.
• 1981: First successful heart-lung transplant performed.
• 1983: First successful single-lung transplant performed. Cyclosporine, the first of a number of drugs that effectively treat organ rejection by suppressing the human immune system, introduced.
• 1984: National Organ Transplant Act (NOTA) was passed.
• 1986: First successful double-lung transplant performed.
• 1987: First successful intestinal transplant performed.
• 1988: First split-liver transplant performed.
• 1989: First successful living donor liver transplant performed.
• 1990: First successful living donor lung transplant performed.
• 1992: UNOS helped found Donate Life America to build public support for organ donation.
• 1998: First successful adult-to-adult living donor liver transplant performed.

How Organ Donation Can Change A Life?

In March 2024, a dedicated Delhi-based teacher, Meena Mehta was declared brain dead and her organs were donated to many, including her hands, shared her nephew Jawed Mehta. A 45-year-old Delhi-based painter had lost both his hands in a 2020 train accident, who received hand transplant. The hands were of Meena Mehta. After a 12-hour long surgery, the painter was able to paint again. Meena Mehta also donated her kidney, liver, and corneas, which has changed lives of three more people.