Global Health Institute

In a conversation with Georgetown community members on February 5, 2019, Dr. Tony Fauci, the distinguished Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) talked about the evolution of epidemic preparedness and what this says about the future. As the primary architect behind the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDs Relief (PEPFAR), Dr. Fauci underscored two key takeaways from this response and others in recent history: pandemics occur, and partnerships work.

When I first read about Dr. Anthony S. Fauci’s career, it seemed as if he had followed a clear path that took him from college student to infectious disease expert. However, at the first talk of the six-part lecture series held by the Conversations in Global Health course, he made it clear that this was not the case.