Anthony Fauci, MD, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has held his National Institutes of Health leadership role since 1984, briefing every American president from Ronald Reagan onward.
Dr. Fauci shared some details about his first meeting with the Trump administration during the American Society for Microbiology's Biothreats conference on Feb. 6 to Feb. 8 in Washington D.C., according to Ars Technica.
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Here are five things to know.
1. Dr. Fauci told the president and his advisors to expect increased cases of Zika and influenza over the next four years.
2. The NIAID director called the federal government's delayed response to Zika an embarrassment.
3. Dr. Fauci shared a short list of what he believes should be points of focus for the federal government pertaining to the spread of infectious disease in the coming years.
• The global surveillance of infectious disease
• Improved transparency and communication during outbreaks
• Developing global infrastructure for disease response
• Creating new technology platforms for the development of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics
• Implementing a stable funding mechanism for outbreak response
4. Dr. Fauci told the current administration "we're likely to see an infectious disease emerge out of left field. Expect the unexpected," which is something he's reportedly said to every president over the years, according to Ars Technica.
5. Dr. Fauci said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis attentively listened to his advice. What the administration chooses to do with said advice is yet to be seen.
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