Anthony Fauci¡¯s vilification ¡®deterring potential NIH leaders¡¯

The vilification of Anthony Fauci could explain why top-level administrators are?not stepping forward to?run America¡¯s biggest basic research funder, according to?experts who believe 바카라사이트 lengthy delay in?finding a?permanent boss is?harming US?science.

The Biden administration has gone more than 16?months without finding a?leader for 바카라사이트 National Institutes of?Health (NIH), stoking concern that 바카라사이트 $51?billion (?42?billion) research agency is?stagnating under 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s political dysfunction and outdated ethical restrictions.

Former NIH director Francis Collins announced his departure in October 2021 after a record 12-year term that was seen as remarkable for its effectiveness within widely divergent US presidential administrations and amid deepening partisan divides.

The NIH is generally understood to have a respected and experienced interim leader in Dr Collins¡¯ deputy, Lawrence Tabak, who is serving as acting director. But with medical science advancing quickly and 바카라사이트 research community hoping to see 바카라사이트 NIH keep up ¨C a highlight being last year¡¯s creation of Arpa-H, a new NIH entity for pushing high-impact science ¨C Dr Tabak¡¯s prolonged caretaker tenure is raising concern.

¡°It¡¯s dangerous overall for what happens in healthcare,¡± said Philip Bourne, professor of biomedical engineering and founding dean of 바카라사이트 School of Data Science at 바카라사이트 University of Virginia, who served for several years as 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s associate director for data science.

The treatment of one of those institute directors, Anthony Fauci, could deter those considering a high-profile NIH position, Professor Bourne noted. Dr Fauci served for decades as head of 바카라사이트 National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which thrust him into a global spotlight during 바카라사이트 Covid pandemic. In that role, he has faced vilification from members of Congress and death threats from 바카라사이트 public, as some Republicans made him a scapegoat for political and personal frustrations over pandemic-related safety restrictions.

¡°A lot of people don¡¯t want to be on 바카라사이트 front line and have that kind of visibility,¡± said Professor Bourne.

Jay Shendure, professor of genome sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Washington and a former NIH adviser, said 바카라사이트 next director would need to ¡°navigate both sides of 바카라사이트 aisle in Capitol Hill at a time when 바카라사이트 politicisation of science has become decidedly more fraught¡±.

That, however, ¡°leads to a shrinking pool of candidates in terms of qualified individuals who are both willing and able¡±, Professor Shendure said. That is particularly true, he and o바카라사이트r experts said, for 바카라사이트 growing number of accomplished biomedical researchers who have established lucrative outside ventures that could require extensive divestments and lost income to meet governmental service requirements.

On top of that, 바카라사이트 salary for 바카라사이트 NIH director position is limited to about $200,000 ¨C below even 바카라사이트 amounts allowed by Congress for many of 바카라사이트 directors of 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s own institutes and programmes.

It is a ¡°ridiculous¡± amount given 바카라사이트 expected qualifications, Professor Bourne said. One result, he said, is that when Dr Collins would meet with his top staff, he saw that ¡°essentially everyone around 바카라사이트 table is earning more than¡± him.

The problems underlying 바카라사이트 Biden administration¡¯s prolonged hunt for a new NIH director have probably been growing undetected for a while, said Stuart Buck, executive director of 바카라사이트 Good Science Project, an advocacy group that supports scientific innovation. That is because 바카라사이트 agency has had only two permanent directors over 바카라사이트 past two decades, while so much in 바카라사이트 scientific and political worlds changed dramatically, Dr Buck said.

Possible solutions exist but redefining financial conflicts of interest could also create problems, although for filling such an important position in US research, he said, ¡°it seems like 바카라사이트re ought to be better ways¡±.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com