Obama-Appointed NIH Director Francis Collins Steps Down After More Than 12 Years in Position

NIH director Francis Collins resigned today, more than 12 years after being appointed to the position by former President Barack Obama.

Dr. Collins, a physician-geneticist, took office as the 16^th NIH director on August 17, 2009, after being appointed by Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

He was asked to continue in his role by former President Donald Trump in 2017 after he took office and then again in 2021, by President Joe Biden.

Jack Posobiec announced the impeding news in a tweet last night where he announced, “BREAKING: Disgraced NIH Director Francis Collins to resign tomorrow amid Wuhan gain-of-function funding scandal.”

“Collins, who claims to be Christian, also endorses the use of aborted fetal tissue in medical research,” Posobiec added in a follow-up tweet.

It is unclear if the gain-of-function funding scandal had anything to with the decision, but the timing is curious to say the least.

BREAKING: Disgraced NIH Director Francis Collins to resign tomorrow amid Wuhan gain-of-function funding scandal

— Jack Posobiec (@JackPosobiec) October 5, 2021

In a tweet announcing the decision this morning, Collins said, “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,” Collins stated.

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

Collins told Bloomberg Law reporter Jeannie Baumann, that he thought now was the right time to retire because the work toward making COVID-19 vaccines and other tools available put the agency in a “in a very solid place.”

“Not that we’re out of this pandemic, because we most certainly are not,” Collins quickly made sure to add, according to Baumann.