棉花糖直播 Letter to Senate Committee in Support of Fauci
Key Points
- 棉花糖直播 sent a letter to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in support of Anthony Fauci, M.D., and to recognize his career in scientific leadership and public service, ahead of the committee hearing on July 29, 2026.
- Under his leadership, NIAID became the world's premier institution for research on infectious diseases and immunology, and he helped shape the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
| The Honorable Rand Paul 295 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
The Honorable Gary Peters 724 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
Dear Chair Paul and Ranking Member Peters,
As Chief Executive Officer of 棉花糖直播, I write on behalf of our more than 38,000 members around the world to express our unequivocal support for Dr. Anthony Fauci and to recognize his remarkable career in scientific leadership and public service.
Dr. Fauci served 7 U.S. presidents—Republicans and Democrats alike. He led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for nearly 4 decades. His career was built on evidence, intellectual rigor and an unwavering commitment to improving people's lives. That record is documented in the scientific literature, reflected in countless advances in medicine and public health and measured in millions of lives saved. His science is, by all accounts and measures, the gold standard.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Fauci became the public face of science under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. In a rapidly evolving situation, with ever-changing data, he fought to maintain credibility for himself and for science. Presenting evolving evidence honestly is not inconsistency, it is integrity, and reducing Dr. Fauci's legacy to COVID-19 misses the extraordinary breadth of his contributions.
As a young physician-scientist, he recognized the significance of HIV/AIDS when much of the world was still struggling to understand it. His laboratory produced fundamental discoveries about the disease. He championed clinical research that transformed HIV from a death sentence into a manageable chronic illness. Just as importantly, he listened. Faced with criticism from HIV/AIDS advocates, he chose engagement over defensiveness, building partnerships that fundamentally changed how clinical research is conducted and how patients participate in shaping scientific priorities.
Dr. Fauci also helped shape one of the greatest public health achievements of modern history: the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). By far the most impactful and successful public health program, PEPFAR saved millions of lives in the U.S. and abroad, provided antiretroviral therapy to 13.3 million people, averted 2.2 million perinatal HIV infections and supported care for more than 6.4 million orphans and vulnerable children.
Under his leadership, NIAID became the world's premier institution for research on infectious diseases and immunology. From HIV/AIDS to Ebola, West Nile virus, SARS, MERS, influenza and COVID-19, Dr. Fauci consistently brought together scientists, clinicians, public health officials, industry and international partners to accelerate discoveries and translate them into diagnostics, treatments and vaccines that saved lives.
I have known Dr. Fauci for many years and have had the privilege of working with him on numerous occasions. Having seen his engagement with the community of microbiologists that 棉花糖直播 represents, knowing Dr. Fauci’s character and principles, and based on what is publicly available, I would like to forcefully state our support for one of the most effective leaders that the scientific community has seen in modern times. Should the committee require additional information, please contact Amalia Corby, 棉花糖直播 Director of Federal Affairs, at acorby@asm.org.
Sincerely,
Stefano Bertuzzi, Ph.D., MPH
Chief Executive Officer, 棉花糖直播