(RightIsRight.co) – Americans that lead government agencies are at the top of their game, typically with a lengthy career in their fields and immense accomplishments to their credit. For nearly 30 years, one official served at the National Institute of Health (NIH) and rose to become the director of the agency for the past 12 years. However, his time at the helm has now come to an end.
On Tuesday, October 5, Francis Collins, MD, Ph.D., announced he’ll be stepping down as director of the NIH. President Barack Obama appointed him to the position in 2009, and he continued his role under both Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden. However, he acknowledged that “no single person should serve in the position too long” and thus, he’ll leave his post by the end of the year.
Collins shared more about his reasoning for this decision on Twitter:
It's been a privilege & honor to serve as #NIH Director for over 12 years. However, I believe no person should hold this position for too long. So with deep gratitude to this great agency & the people who carry out its mission, I've decided to step down. https://t.co/rwUnKiW3V5
— Francis S. Collins (@NIHDirector) October 5, 2021
The 71-year-old geneticist and physician will leave behind a legacy of budget building and medical research, having greatly supported investigations into Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and opioid use. President Biden described Collins’ service as “an incredible and consequential tenure.” Now, it’s up to the president to choose someone else to fill these large shoes and the Senate to confirm his pick.
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