MONDAY, Jan. 25, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Anthony Fauci, M.D., will receive the 2021 Public Welfare Medal for his “decades-long leadership in combating emerging infectious diseases, from the AIDS crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic, and being a clear, consistent, and trusted voice in public health,” the National Academy of Sciences announced Monday.
Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has played a leading role in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The medal, established in 1914, is the academy’s most prestigious award and is presented annually to honor the extraordinary use of science for the public good. Fauci will receive the medal at the academy’s annual meeting.
“Anthony Fauci is an American hero who has earned the respect and trust of millions for his no-nonsense approach to the pandemic,” Marcia McNutt, academy president, said in a statement. “Throughout his long and distinguished career, his leadership and ingenuity during public health emergencies has saved countless lives here in the U.S. and around the world. I am delighted to present him with the Academy’s highest honor.”
“During this extraordinarily challenging time for the nation and the world, Anthony Fauci has never wavered, tirelessly working almost around the clock to help America fight COVID-19,” Susan Wessler, home secretary of the National Academy of Sciences and chair of the selection committee for the award, said in a statement.
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