Tel Aviv University in Israel selected Anthony Fauci, MD, as one of its 2021 Dan David Prize winners — a prestigious international award that honors those who've made significant cultural and societal contributions, NPR reported Feb. 15.
This year, the awards focused on health and medicine. The awards committee selected Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for his contributions to HIV research, as well as playing a pivotal role in launching the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2003 — an initiative that's "saved millions of lives throughout the developing world," the awards committee said.
Dr. Fauci was also recognized for his 36 years of NIAID leadership, which has responded to outbreaks of SARS, MERS, Ebola and COVID-19. Lastly, the awards committee underlined Dr. Fauci's support of novel vaccine approaches, such as mRNA vaccines, and his role amid the ongoing pandemic.
"As the COVID-19 pandemic unraveled, [Dr. Fauci] leveraged his considerable communication skills to address people gripped by fear and anxiety and worked relentlessly to inform individuals in the United States and elsewhere about the public health measures essential for containing the pandemic's spread," the awards committee said, according to NPR.
The Dan David Prize awards three $1 million prizes a year, of which 10 percent is allocated to academic scholarships in each recipient's respective field. Dr. Fauci is one of seven 2021 recipients. The other two $1 million prizes were split among the six additional winners.
To view the full list of recipients, click here.
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