Dr. Lawrence A Tabak Resigns from NIH Amid HHS Shakeup
Dr. Lawrence A. Tabak, the second-in-command at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has resigned abruptly. Tabak, who is 73 and has served at the NIH for 25 years, first as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, became the NIH's principal deputy director in 2010. He also served as acting director during crucial periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an email circulated to NIH staff, Tabak announced his retirement from government service effective February 11, 2025. The email did not provide a reason for his departure.
His resignation coincides with a significant shakeup within the Health and Human Services Department, NIH's parent agency, that began with President Donald Trump's administration in January. Reports indicate that under Trump, the NIH has faced program cuts and plans to dismiss a large number of HHS employees. Surprisingly, Dr. Matthew Memoli, a former top researcher at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was assigned the acting director role instead of Tabak.
Throughout his tenure, Tabak was part of agency leadership who faced accusations from congressional investigators for allegedly manipulating the narrative regarding the origins of COVID-19. He participated in a controversial phone call alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci and others that critics claim contributed to a scientific paper downplaying the lab origins of the virus.
Additionally, Tabak was in the spotlight during GOP investigations regarding gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and was criticized for delays in releasing requested information.
Following his resignation, Jeremy Berg, a former director at NIH's National Institute of General Medical Sciences, commented on social media, saying, “Larry has shoveled so much s--- over the years that he would have been well qualified to work behind the elephants in an old circus.”
Fox News Digital attempted to reach NIH for comments but did not receive a response in time for publication.
