After more than 12 years, the retiring leader of the National Institutes of Health talks about resisting political pressures during the COVID pandemic; vaccine hesitancy; and how he will continue with two passions: research and rock ‘n’ roll.
For Dr. Francis Collins, the adventure of owning a Harley is nothing compared with the challenge of running the sprawling National Institutes of Health: « We have 27 institutes and centers, » he told correspondent Rita Braver. « They range everything from institutes that are focused on a disease – the National Cancer Institute – to some that are focused on organ systems – the National Eye Institute, for Infectious disease, heart, lung and blood. And I’ve had a pretty good time getting the best people in the world to come and lead those institutes. » But now, after 12 years on the job – one of the longest runs in history – Collins will step down today. « I have loved this role. But 12-plus years is a long time to have a single leader of this largest supporter of biomedical research in the world. It’s good to have new vision. » It was Collins’ own vision, as one of the foremost genetic researchers in the country, that inspired then-President Barack Obama to appoint him to lead NIH in 2009. Collins helped push through major increases in the NIH budget, now expected to hit $50.4 billion a year. Collins said, « I have done everything I can to stay out of any kind of political, partisan debates, because it really is not a place where medical research belongs. » That may be why both Presidents Trump and Biden asked him to stay on. But Collins revealed that once the COVID pandemic began, he found himself facing off with Mr. Trump over Collins’ refusal to endorse scientifically-disproven remedies, like hydroxychloroquine and blood plasma from recovered COVID patients. « And I got into a difficult place, and got a bit of a talking-to by the President of the United States about this, » Collins chuckled. « But I stuck my ground. » Braver asked, « Would you have resigned if it had come to the White House trying to get you to do something you didn’t want to do? » « Yeah, I was not going to compromise scientific principles to just hold onto the job, » he replied.
