WHAT: Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be honored by President George W. Bush with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony next Thursday, June 19, 2008.
The White House noted today that Dr. Fauci "…has dedicated his life to expanding the horizons of human knowledge. His efforts to advance our understanding and treatment of HIV/AIDS have brought hope and healing to millions around the world."
Dr. Fauci, a leading physician-scientist and research administrator, has made many contributions to the understanding and treatment of immune-mediated and infectious diseases, and he oversees an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose and treat such conditions. Dr. Fauci has studied HIV/AIDS and treated HIV-infected patients since the early days of the pandemic. He was a leading architect of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and is widely recognized for his international leadership in research on HIV/AIDS. Visit http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/about/directors/biography/director.htm for a brief biography of Dr. Fauci.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation's highest civil award. Established by Executive Order 11085 in 1963, the Medal may be awarded by the President "to any person who has made an especially meritorious contribution to (1) the security or national interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."
WHO: Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
CONTACT: To schedule interviews with Dr. Fauci, contact the NIAID Office of Communications, 301-402-1663, niaidnews@niaid.nih.gov.
NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health. NIAID supports basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose and treat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria and illness from potential agents of bioterrorism. NIAID also supports research on basic immunology, transplantation and immune-related disorders, including autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergies.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)--The Nation's Medical Research Agency--includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID Web site at http://www.niaid.nih.gov.