Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

The United States leads the world in global health assistance and is committed to protecting life through every health program funded by American taxpayers. The Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) Policy aims to ensure that U.S. taxpayer funding does not support foreign non-governmental organizations that perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning.

Today, the State Department, in conjunction with the U.S. Departments of Defense (DoD), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) released the Review of the Implementation of the PLGHA Policy. This review reaffirms that the United States can continue to meet its critical global health goals, while protecting life abroad through its global health assistance programs. It contains detailed information on the small number of awards affected because organizations declined to receive U.S. global health assistance under the requirements of the PLGHA Policy, how these declinations have affected awards and ongoing health assistance, and how the U.S. Government has resolved situations in which delays or gaps in services occurred.

The U.S. Government is committed to protecting life, the unborn, and the dignity of the human person. U.S. Government Departments and Agencies that implement PLGHA have made information and guidance available to partners on the application of PLGHA.  The U.S. Government will continue to develop materials to support partners in clearly communicating the PLGHA Policy’s intent, implementation, and compliance.

Read the second review of the PLGHA Policy here.