Lab Leak Theorist Quay Out of Running for NIAID Director — SkimNews
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- Steven Quay, a biopharmaceutical executive with no background in infectious diseases, was being considered for director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the NIH — a role once held by Anthony Fauci.
- Quay is an early advocate of the theory that Covid-19 was engineered in and leaked from a lab in China, a position that made his potential appointment politically charged.
- Quay is no longer the leading choice for the NIAID director position, according to a source with knowledge of the decision reported by STAT.
- Quay is instead expected to take on a consulting role for the center, the source said, suggesting the administration still wants his input in a less visible capacity.
- The White House, HHS, and Quay all declined or did not respond to requests for comment, leaving the reasoning behind the shift undisclosed.
- NIAID remains without a permanent director in the post-Fauci era, with the director role now effectively sidelined to a consulting arrangement rather than a full appointment.
Why it matters: The NIAAD directorship is one of the most prominent federal science posts, and Fauci's successor has been vacant. Quay's lab leak advocacy would have made him a polarizing pick, so moving him to a consulting role lets the administration retain his input without the political baggage — but it leaves the post itself still unfilled.
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