Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, wears a protective mask during a White House press conference on the Coronavirus Task Force in the House’s James Brady Press Room White on November 19, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images
Dr. Anthony Fauci has won the $ 1 million Dan David Award for “defending science” and defending vaccines that are given around the world to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The Israeli foundation David David Foundation on Monday named President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser as the winner of one of three awards. He said he had gained recognition throughout a lifetime of leadership in HIV research and AIDS relief, as well as his advocacy for COVID-19 vaccines.
In its statement, the private foundation did not mention former President Donald Trump, who undermined the approach of the Fauci pandemic to science. But he credited Fauci with “bravely defending science against the uninformed opposition during the challenging COVID crisis.”
“While the COVID-19 pandemic was unraveling, (Fauci) took advantage of his considerable communication skills to address people affected by fear and anxiety and worked tirelessly to inform people in the United States and other posts on public health measures essential to contain the spread of the pandemic “. said the foundation’s awards committee, praising Fauci for “telling the truth to power in a very busy political environment.”
Fauci, 80, has served seven presidents and since 1984 has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
In recent interviews, Fauci has acknowledged that it was sometimes difficult to work for Trump, who repeatedly downplayed the severity of the pandemic, rejected the need to wear masks, and often proposed unproven scientific remedies, including disinfectant injection. .
Trump resented Fauci’s flattering press coverage and reveled in calls for “Fire Fauci!” at some of his rallies. But Fauci overtook Trump, who lost the November election.
“It was very clear that there were things being said, whether it was about things like hydroxychloroquine and other things, that it was really uncomfortable because they weren’t based on the scientific fact,” Fauci said at a recent White House briefing. . He added that he had “no pleasure” in having to contradict the president.
Fauci said Biden’s election was “liberating.”
The Dan David Award, established in 2000, awards $ 1 million each year in three categories for contributions to the past, present, and future.
Fauci won the award for achievement at present in the field of public health, the foundation said.
Professors Alison Bashford, Katharine Park and Keith Wailoo, who work in the field of history and health medicine, won the “Past” category. The pioneers of cancer immunotherapy, Professor Zelig Eshhar, Dr. Carl June and Dr. Steven Rosenberg, won the “Future” category.
The foundation is headquartered at Tel Aviv University, where it offers grants to various humanities and social sciences programs. The foundation allocates 10% of the prize to scholarships.
Foundation director Ariel David, son of the award’s founder, said this year’s winners “have researched how humanity has treated disease and pandemics throughout history; they have provided relief, guidance and leadership. in the fight against current outbreaks … at the forefront of discovering new treatments that give us hope for the future in the ongoing battle against cancer and other diseases. “
Previous awards for the Dan David Prize include former US Vice President Al Gore, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, novelist Margaret Atwood, co-founder of Wikipedia Wikipedia Jimmy Wales and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen.