Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s Chief Medical Advisor and a major medical expert throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, announced on Monday he is stepping down from his current government positions in December. Fauci emphasized he is “not retiring,” however.
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Fauci, who also serves as Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, said he is leaving the three positions “to pursue the next chapter of my career.”
Fauci has served as NIAID Director for 38 years under seven U.S. presidents, making up the bulk of his 50-year government service.
“While I am moving on from my current positions, I am not retiring. 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’s statement said.
Fauci’s work spans across numerous diseases, including HIV/AIDS, West Nile virus, anthrax attacks, influenza, bird influenzas, Ebola, Zika, and COVID-19.
In response to Fauci’s announcement, Biden released a statement calling Fauci “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.”
“Because of Dr. Fauci’s many contributions to public health, lives here in the United States and around the world have been saved. 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,” Biden said in the statement. “Whether you’ve met him personally or not, he has touched all Americans’ lives with his work. I extend my deepest thanks for his public service. The United States of America is stronger, more resilient, and healthier because of him.”
