After being an advocate of vaccines which is now being administered worldwide in battling the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci has obtained a $1 million Dan David Prize for his efforts in 'defending science.'
President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser earned one of the three prizes given by the Israeli-based Dan David Foundation on Monday after he achieved and got recognized over a lifetime of leadership on AIDS relief and HIV research, especially his advocacy for the usage of vaccines against coronavirus.
Israel Awards $1 Million to Anthony Fauci
The private foundation did not mention any related information about former President Donald Trump, who undermined the follow-the-science approach to the pandemic of the now Biden's chief medical adviser. But it gave its credit to Fauci as the one who courageously defended science in the face of the uninformed opposition during the challenging coronavirus crisis.
According to ABC News, the foundation's award committee has praised Fauci for speaking the truth despite being within highly charged political environment. The committee also mentioned that as the pandemic unraveled, Dr. Anthony Fauci leveraged his considerable communication skills to address individuals gripped by fear and anxiety and worked relentlessly in order to inform not only the people of the United States but also elsewhere regarding the essential public health measures for the containment of the spread of the pandemic.
The 80-year-old, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has served under seven presidents and has been the director of the NIAID or the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984. In his recent interviews, the NIAID director has admitted that it was difficult at times to work for former President Trump as he repeatedly played down the severity of the pandemic, as had dismissed the need of wearing masks and mentioning unproven scientific remedies, which include injecting disinfectant, the New York Post reported.
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Moreover, Trump resented the flattering press coverage of Fauci and reveled in calls to 'Fire Fauci' at some of his rallies. But the 80-year-old director of the NIAID outlasted the former president after Trump lost the November 2020 Presidential elections to now-President Joe Biden.
During a recent White House briefing, Dr. Anthony Fauci stated that it was very clear that were things being said that were uncomfortable as they were not based on scientific fact, citing the hydroxychloroquine and other things. Fauci also mentioned that he took 'no pleasure' in having to contradict the president.
The private foundation, the Dan David Prize, which was established in 2000 has given $1 million awards in three categories annually for contributions addressing the past, present, and the future. The foundation stated that Fauci won the prize for his achievement in the 'present,' in the field of public health.
Meanwhile, Professors Alison Bashford, Katharine Park, and Keith Wailoo, who worked in the field of history and health medicine have won the 'Past category' and professor Zelig Eshhar, Dr. Carl June, and Dr. Steven Rosenberg, who are pioneers of anti-cancer immunotherapy have won the 'Future' category, KBTX-TV3 reported.
The son of the prize founder and the foundation director Ariel David shared that the laureates this year have not only probed how humanity has dealt with sickness and pandemics throughout history but also have provided relief, guidance, and leadership in dealing with current outbreaks.
He also added that they are at the forefront of discovering new treatments that bring us to hope for the future in the ongoing fight against cancer and other diseases.
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