Dr. Anthony Fauci to step down in December

Dr. Anthony Fauci announced Monday that he will step down from his post as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and as President Biden’s chief medical adviser in December to “pursue the next chapter” of his career, stressing that he is “not retiring.”

“I am announcing today that I will be stepping down from 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,” Fauci said in a statement Monday. “I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career.”

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to have led the NIAID, an extraordinary institution, for so many years and through so many scientific and public health challenges,” Fauci said. “I am very proud of our many accomplishments.”

Fauci has served as NIAID director for the past 38 years and has served under seven presidents, beginning with President Ronald Reagan “on newly emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats including HIV/AIDS, West Nile virus, the anthrax attacks, pandemic influenza, various bird influenza threats, Ebola and Zika, among others, and, of course, most recently the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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“I am particularly proud to have served as the Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden since the very first day of his administration,” Fauci said.

“While I am moving on from my current positions, I am not retiring,” Fauci stressed, saying that “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,” Fauci said.

Fauci said that over the final months of his government career, he will “continue to put my full effort, passion and commitment into my current responsibilities, as well as help prepare the Institute for a leadership transition.”

“NIH is served by some of the most talented scientists in the world, and I have no doubt that I am leaving this work in very capable hands,” he said, adding that, “thanks to the power of science and investments in research and innovation, the world has been able to fight deadly diseases and help save lives around the globe.”

“I am proud to have been part of this important work and look forward to helping to continue to do so in the future,” Fauci said.

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President Biden praised Fauci in a statement on Monday, calling him a “dedicated public servant, and a steady hand with wisdom and insight honed over decades at the forefront of some of our most dangerous and challenging public health crises.”

“When it came time to build a team to lead our COVID-19 response — in fact, in one of my first calls as President-elect — I immediately asked Dr. Fauci to extend his service as my Chief Medical Advisor to deal with the COVID-19 crisis our nation faced,” Biden said. “In that role, I’ve been able to call him at any hour of the day for his advice as we’ve tackled this once-in-a-generation pandemic.”

He added: “His commitment to the work is unwavering, and he does it with an unparalleled spirit, energy, and scientific integrity.” 

“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. “As he leaves his position in the U.S. Government, I know the American people and the entire world will continue to benefit from Dr. Fauci’s expertise in whatever he does next.”

“Whether you’ve met him personally or not, he has touched all Americans’ lives with his work,” Biden said. “I extend my deepest thanks for his public service.”

He added: “The United States of America is stronger, more resilient, and healthier because of him.”

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