NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins Stepping Down

Dr. Francis Collins, the head of the National Institutes of Health, is reportedly stepping down.

Politico broke the surprise news Monday night, reporting that he will be announcing his resignation on Tuesday after almost 30 years.

Collins has been NIH director since 2009, and he has been very outspoken in the past few months about the need to get vaccinated and the disinformation spreading throughout the pandemic.

In August Collins said vaccine mandates could absolutely make a difference in combatting covid-19, expressing some astonishment that there can be such a political divide on vaccines and masks.

UPDATE – 8:12 a.m. ET: The NIH released a statement from Collins confirming his step-down.

It has been an incredible privilege to lead this great agency for more than a decade. I love this agency and its people so deeply that the decision to step down was a difficult one, done in close counsel with my wife, Diane Baker, and my family. I am proud of all we’ve accomplished. I fundamentally believe, however, that no single person should serve in the position too long, and that it’s time to bring in a new scientist to lead the NIH into the future. I’m most grateful and proud of the NIH staff and the scientific community, whose extraordinary commitment to lifesaving research delivers hope to the American people and the world every day.