The current Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has been removed.
Written by Robert W Malone MD, MS
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), was fired by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on October 1, 2025, 22 to 27 days after filing a whistleblower complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. The complaint, filed on September 4, 2025, alleged retaliation against her for raising concerns about the cancellation of critical research grants, the politicization of scientific research, anti-vaccine sentiment, and censorship of scientific findings.
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo was widely seen as an ally of Dr. Anthony Fauci, especially in the areas of infectious disease research, public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and leadership at NIAID. This perception stemmed from her professional identification with Fauci’s approaches to HIV/AIDS research, vaccine advocacy, and pandemic response, as well as her selection as his immediate successor as director of NIAID—a position Fauci held for 38 years until his retirement in December 2022. Marrazzo took office in September 2023, overseeing a $6,3 billion budget for infectious disease research. Fauci personally praised her appointment, calling her "very well-liked, very respected" and a "good choice" for the role, highlighting her experience and the "big challenges" she would face. While he noted that they did not have a close personal relationship and he had no involvement in her selection, his comments highlighted her ability to lead in a politically charged environment. She has received praise from the HIV and LGBTQ+ communities for her work, as has Fauci. Her opponents, from anti-vaccination and conservative circles, have called her a "Fauci ally", "Fauci clone" or "Fauci pawn" due to her positions on the pandemic and her ties to NIAID-funded research (e.g., gain-of-function studies in laboratories such as the one in Wuhan).
An important context for her positions was the involvement of NIAID officials in the HHS decision to cancel contracts to develop mRNA vaccine technology. Scientists from NIAID and NIH participated in the evaluation of the contracts. Dr. Matthew Memoli, then deputy director of the NIH, played a central role in the decision to cancel grants related to “vaccine hesitancy” and initiated a review of funding for mRNA vaccine research. In March 2025, under his leadership, the NIH abruptly canceled at least 33 grants aimed at understanding vaccine hesitancy and strategies to improve vaccine acceptance, with nine others at risk of modifications or cuts. The cancellation letters stated that this type of research was no longer consistent with NIH priorities and that no modification could make it compatible with the new policy.
Memoli also requested details of NIH’s investments in mRNA research, including current and future grants and contracts. The move raised concerns among NIH staff that funding for mRNA research would be next to be eliminated. NIAID, which funds the majority of this research, was asked to provide a list of 130 relevant programs. The decision, announced in August 2025, followed a review by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who stated that mRNA vaccines do not offer effective protection against upper respiratory infections, such as COVID-19 and influenza, despite their proven effectiveness in preventing serious illness and death.
Marrazzo’s legal team claims her firing was an act of retaliation for her legitimate whistleblower work and her advocacy for a science-based approach to vaccines. Her attorney, Debra S. Katz, said the Trump administration removed her because she supported the overwhelming scientific evidence that vaccines are safe and effective. Marrazzo had been on administrative leave since March 2025 and had been notified of a possible transfer to the Indian Health Service, which never materialized.
In a public statement, Marrazzo said her firing demonstrates that HHS and NIH leadership does not share her commitment to scientific integrity and public health, calling on Congress to protect research from political interference. Her complaints include allegations that HHS officials, such as Dr. Matthew Memoli, echoed Kennedy's positions that vaccines are not necessary for healthy populations.
Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo was the Director of NIAID at NIH, a position she assumed in the fall of 2023, succeeding Dr. Anthony Fauci. She is internationally recognized for her research and education in the field of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), particularly in women's health. Her research includes the study of the human microbiome, especially in relation to female reproductive tract infections and hormonal contraception, the prevention of HIV infection with biomedical interventions such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and microbicides, and the pathogenesis and management of bacterial vaginosis and gonorrhea resistance.
Dr. Matthew J. Memoli, MD, MS, is the Acting Director of NIH and served as Interim Director from January 22, 2025, to March 31, 2025. He is an internationally recognized expert in respiratory viruses, with over 20 years at NIH, where he served as Director of the Clinical Studies Unit in the Laboratory of Infectious Diseases at NIAID. His research focuses on influenza and other respiratory diseases, clinical trials for vaccines and therapeutics, human challenge models, and the study of viral transmission and immunity. He has received numerous awards for his work, including two NIH Director’s Awards and one from the National Center for Translational Sciences. He has also stood out for his public statements expressing doubts about the necessity of universal vaccination mandates against COVID-19, a stance that characterized him as an "outsider" despite the fact that he was an "insider" at the NIH.
Dr. Memoli is considered one of the world’s leading experts on flu vaccine technology and clinical evaluation, with far more experience than Dr. Marrazzo. He is also the only senior NIH scientist I know of who openly questioned the ethics and accuracy of many of Dr. Anthony Fauci’s positions (including orders), at a time when Fauci was effectively his boss.
Author Robert W Malone MD, MS
article source https://www.malone.news
photo by Ghinzo, https://pixabay.com
