In a recent social media video, former National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins was seen participating in an anti-Trump rally, where he attempted to lead attendees in song.
Collins, who stepped down from his role in December 2021 after being appointed by President Barack Obama in 2009, faced criticism during the COVID-19 pandemic for his efforts to suppress "The Great Barrington Declaration." This document challenged the widespread lockdowns, advocating instead for "focused protection" of the most vulnerable populations.
As reported by the Daily Caller, Collins participated in a "Stand Up For Science" protest broadcast on CSPAN2, where he endeavored to teach the crowd song lyrics. "You got that, so its all the good people, but the second line, part of this family, the last line, were joined together by this noble dream. Do that with me,"
Collins instructed before launching into the song. His involvement in such events has drawn attention, particularly given his controversial tenure at the NIH.
During his leadership, the NIH funded "gain of function" research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China through EcoHealth Alliance. Despite suspicions that a lab leak from WIV might have sparked the COVID-19 pandemic, Collins refrained from publicly addressing questions about the research conducted there. Furthermore, he advocated for government action to "track down" and bring "some kind of justice" to those spreading alleged misinformation.
Collins' stance on "The Great Barrington Declaration" was notably aggressive. In an email to Dr. Anthony Fauci dated October 8, 2020, Collins referred to the authorsDrs. Martin Kulldorff, Sunetra Gupta, and Jay Bhattacharyaas "fringe epidemiologists" and urged for a "quick and devastating published take down" of their proposal. "This proposal from the three fringe epidemiologists who met with the [Health] Secretary seems to be getting a lot of attention and even a co-signature from Nobel Prize winner Mike Leavitt at Stanford," he wrote.
In a turn of events, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who was honored with the Bradley Prize in May 2024, was nominated by former President Donald Trump to lead the NIH on January 20. Collins, known for his musical renditions, previously showcased his singing abilities with a parody of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in December 2021.
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