Anthony Fauci, MD, longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has indicated he will retire by the end of President Joe Biden's current term, the NIAID confirmed to Becker's July 18.
Dr. Fauci, 81, was appointed to the director role in 1984. He is also chief medical adviser to President Biden and the nation's top infectious disease expert.
"I have always said that sometime in the reasonable future, I would be stepping down," Dr. Fauci told NBC News. "Thus, sometime between now and then I very likely will step down and move on to the next phase in my professional career, whatever that may be."
Dr. Fauci did not provide an exact timetable for his retirement. However, he told The Washington Post: "By the time we get to the end of the Biden administration term, I feel it would be time for me to step down from this position."
Dr. Fauci served under seven presidents. When asked by Politico what he wants his legacy to be, he pointed to his efforts regarding HIV/AIDS, including his role as a principal architect of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
President Biden's current term ends on Jan. 20, 2025.