Anthony Fauci, who has been the public face of the U.S. response to the Covid pandemic after a long tenure leading the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that he plans to step down in December. He also will depart as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser.
“I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career,” Fauci said in a statement.
His departure had been expected, as he signaled in July that he planned to retire by the time that Biden’s current term ends.
“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. I have worked with — and learned from — countless talented and dedicated people in my own laboratory, at NIAID, at NIH and beyond. To them I express my abiding respect and gratitude.”
Biden said in a statement, “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. I extend my deepest thanks for his public service. The United States of America is stronger, more resilient, and healthier because of him.”
More to come.