“Show me a Nation with a science-hostile-government, and I’ll show you a society with failing health, wealth, and security.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson, April 2017
Science is under attack. It should not be.
Science is a basic element of so many actions in our lives. It encompasses almost every action and reaction in our lives. Yet some folks see it as just high-brow stuff for intellectuals or the immeasurable stuff of the oft-maligned social sciences. And some folks see it as just plain antithetical to their faith journey. I would argue that to ignore the past, present, and future contributions of science is to our collective peril. As the quote above states, it is intertwined with society at large. To develop new technologies, to make informed decisions, and to solve problems of importance to all of us, science and scientific knowledge must be at the forefront of our individual and mutual decisions.
A prime example is the drop-off in vaccine rates and the disinformation that has been spread. Due to the disruption in routine health care during the pandemic, there was fertile ground for anti-vaxxers and science deniers to advance false information. As false information expanded, families were far more likely to question the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and decrease overall rates that are critical to the safety of us all. Equally unfortunate is the brewing general distrust in public health. When this occurs, our society suffers and makes it unlikely that we will be able to handle future inevitable health crises. The anti-vaxxers and science deniers have thus accomplished something that our enemies only dreamed of, making us vulnerable from within and susceptible to external forces.
Outside of the United States, our plight has been recognized and characterized quite succinctly in a current issue of THE LANCET (Vol 407, #10351, Feb 28-Mar 6 2026), the premier medical journal of the United Kingdom. The cover as shown confirms the quote above by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Not only does anti-science rhetoric have an immediate effect but its toxic results linger for many years even generations to come.
One of my heroes, who has been able to buffet the headwinds of misinformation and disinformation, has been Dr. Tony Fauci.1 ,2 Before I celebrate the career of Dr. Fauci emphasizing his invaluable contributions to our society, let’s just remember how science works. In his recent autobiography, he noted that he was criticized for being a “flip flopper” on mask wearing during the COVID pandemic.
The controversy over masks illustrate a fundamental misunderstanding among some about science, particularly the biological or health sciences. People associate science with absolutes that [never change], when in fact science is a process that continually uncovers new information. As new information evolves, the process of science allows for self-correction…With mathematics, two plus two equals four today…and a thousand years from now. Not so with the biological sciences, where what we know continues to evolve and uncertainty is common. This uncertainty is magnified in the context of a deadly pandemic when there is already anxiety and suffering…Our understanding of transmissibility, severity, vulnerability of different people, and level of protection, to name a few, continually evolved, and our medical advice had to change to reflect this.(pp 363-364)
The heroes in public service were not to blame for changing recommendations. The virus and its deadly course were to blame. Our public health officials and scientists did an excellent job in the midst of a groundswell of folks spreading bad information that put us all at greater risk. Dr. Fauci stood above the fray and was true to his calling as a physician, scientist and a public servant.
I must bring to light numerous other contributions by this remarkable man and devoted humanitarian who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) for 38 years from 1984 to 2022. These accomplishments emphasize the role of science in our lives. His dedication and expertise are unparalleled. He has also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of Science, and the Mary Woodard Lasker Award for Public Service.
- He was at the forefront of the recognition and treatment for HIV/AIDS. He built a team that fought daily for ways to delineate the disorder, how to treat the numerous illnesses associated with AIDS and the subsequent discovery of the multi-pronged treatment for AIDS.
- He was humble enough to learn that he needed to listen to the AIDS activists if he was going to understand how to really address this devastating disease and promote impactful treatments.
- Recognizing the horrible impact of AIDS in Africa, he worked with the numerous presidential administrations to establish PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a program in over twenty years that has spread to over 50 countries and is estimated to have saved at least 25 million lives.
- In the aftermath of 9/11, there were multiple concerns about biological warfare, like smallpox or anthrax for example. He worked tirelessly to help establish Project BioShield starting in 2004 to assure the continued efforts to address these issues.
- Epidemics of Influenza, SARS, Ebola, and Zika (to highlight some of his work) certainly were handled with equal vigor and dedication.
- His work with the COVID-19 pandemic thrust him into the national spotlight. He maintained his integrity and his calling by always delivering the best advice available about the science and the public health measures to treat the rapidly spreading virus which had lethal consequences. Previous work in NIAID under his leadership had established the scientific breakthroughs that led a truly unprecedented development of a COVID vaccine in less than 12 months. This feat alone is a “moonshot” in its own right and yet will largely go unrecognized in the fury of the COVID pandemic.
I am truly appalled by some of the public officials who have taken vicious potshots at this public servant who never wavered in his work and service to humanity. Elected officials and people in the administration during 2020 and again in 2026 are doing a disservice to us all. The vilification of Dr. Fauci has been one of the most abhorrent actions in my lifetime. The mere fact that he required a security detail should be a chilling reminder of the consequences of such vilification.
I, of course, am biased as a fellow physician. But when these smear campaigns go unchallenged and false information is spread that further affects the health of children and families, I will not be silent. Science is an integral part of our lives when practiced with integrity. Secretary Kennedy and his fellow appointees cannot be included in that lot.
I salute Dr. Anthony Fauci for his service, for his research, for his dedication, for his resilience, for his vision, for his humanity, for his humility and for his willingness to persist when others might have stepped aside. He really did come to the rescue, and I hope that more and more people will recognize and applaud his work. And the ultimate tribute would be for young physician scientists to follow in his footsteps and emulate his service. That is my hope and dream since science serves us all in immeasurable ways.
- https://mychildrenschildren.com/dr-fauci-to-the-rescue/
- Fauci A. On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service. Viking; 2024. 455 pp.