Monday, August 22, 2022

Dr. Anthony Fauci leaving government after decades of work in disease prevention

Brad Reed
August 22, 2022

Donald Trump and Anthony Fauci AFP

Dr. Anthony Fauci announced on Monday that he is stepping down from his role as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases after decades of service.

The New York Times reports that the 81-year-old Fauci, who was the public face of health advocacy during the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than a million Americans, will "pursue the next chapter" at the end of the year.

Although Fauci often served as a steady voice of expertise during the Trump administration's early response the deadly pandemic in 2020, he quickly became a lightning rod among Trump allies over his promotion of restrictions aimed at slowing the virus's spread.

In an interview with the Times, Fauci said that he wanted to do more public health advocacy outside of the government role where he has worked for nearly 40 years.

“So long as I’m healthy, which I am, and I’m energetic, which I am, and I’m passionate, which I am, I want to do some things outside of the realm of the federal government," he said.

President Joe Biden gave Fauci praise after he announced his coming retirement from government.

"Because of Dr. Fauci’s many contributions to public health, lives here in the United States and around the world have been saved," Biden said.


Fauci is stepping down from his roles in the NIH and Biden administration in December to 'pursue the next chapter' of his career, but urges he's not retiring

rcohen@insider.com (Rebecca Cohen) - 9h ago


Dr. Anthony Fauci announced on Monday that he plans to leave his roles in the National Institute of Health and the Biden administration in December, but insisted he is not yet retiring from his decades-long career in public health.


© Provided by Business InsiderDr. Anthony Fauci testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on January 11, 2022 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Greg Nash/Pool via AP, File

Fauci will be leaving the positions of Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, as well as the position of Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden, he said, to "to pursue the next chapter of my career."

"While I am moving on from my current positions, I am not retiring," he said in a statement. "After more than 50 years of government service, I plan to pursue the next phase of my career while I still have so much energy and passion for my field."

"I want to use what I have learned as NIAID Director to continue to advance science and public health and to inspire and mentor the next generation of scientific leaders as they help prepare the world to face future infectious disease threats," he added.

This story is developing. 

Related video: Fauci To Retire by the End of President Biden’s Term
Duration 1:30 View on Watch



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