In the summer of 1981, Fauci read reports in the "Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report" about seriously ill gay men who had developed conditions that had only been seen in patients with compromised immune systems. While Fauci’s mentors and colleagues discouraged him from turning his attention to the novel virus that would come to be known as HIV, he has publicly said that he couldn't walk away. He took the helm of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in 1984 and incorporated the science of the virus into broader societal implications. Under his leadership, critical strides were made in developing antiretroviral therapies, transforming HIV/AIDS from a death sentence to a condition that could be controlled with a pill.

Dr. Fauci, who served as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades before retiring in 2022, has served under seven US presidents,…