As the grandson of Lucien Neuwirth, the French parliamentarian who championed the 1967 law legalizing contraception in France, I feel a deep, personal and civic responsibility to speak out against an unfolding international scandal—one that threatens not only women’s health but also the legacy of reproductive rights and justice we hold dear.
The Trump administration is attempting to incinerate $9.7 million worth of United States-funded contraceptives, primarily long-acting reversible methods such as implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs), which were purchased under the Biden administration through USAID. These devices are not expired—many are viable for up to five more years—and were meant for women in some of the world’s poorest countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
In response, I issued an open letter to President Emmanuel Macron, urging him to intervene. “Mr. President, do not let France become complicit in this scandal,” I wrote, reminding him of our nation’s responsibility to uphold sexual and reproductive rights—a legacy rooted in the very law my grandfather fought to pass, the Loi Neuwirth.
We cannot allow France to become an accessory to injustice. The world is watching.