Morning Briefing

In this post in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog, Melinda Gates, co-chair of the foundation, discusses including contraception on the global health agenda. "I have learned a lot from following the reaction to the talk I gave at TEDxChange two weeks ago," she writes, adding, "Because I'm so passionate about the issue, I'm excited to see so many people talking about it online. The more people talk, I think, the more they'll realize how much agreement there is around the basic argument that birth control saves lives and helps families build a better future." She concludes, "I believe in giving women the methods they want to use so they can do what's best for themselves and their families. ... I hope we can agree that there really is no controversy around this idea" (4/26).