The Appalling Moral Failure of Francis Collins

By John G. West, VP and Sr. Fellow at the Discovery Institute

Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has announced his intention to step down at the end of 2021 after more than 12 years heading the agency. The accolades are already rolling in. Noted evangelical political commentator David French, for example, rushed to praise Collins as “a national treasure.”

But Collins’s real legacy is anything but praiseworthy, and the tendency of figures in the faith community to ignore his real record is far from admirable. This year of all years should have made the truth about Francis Collins clear. Last month, documents were released suggesting that top NIH officials may have lied when they denied that the NIH had funded “gain of function” research in Wuhan, China, that could have resulted in a pathogen that could infect humans.

After reviewing the documents, Rutgers University biologist Richard Ebright had a blistering response: “The documents make it clear that assertions by the NIH Director, Francis Collins, and the NIAID Director, Anthony Fauci, that the NIH did not support ‘gain of function’ research or potential pandemic pathogen enhancement… are untruthful.” It was another blow to the reputation of Collins in a year when his agency has faced multiple scandals and controversies. [more…]

Dr. John G. West is Vice President and a Senior Fellow at the Seattle-based Discovery Institute, where he also serves as Managing Director of the Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, which he co-founded with philosopher of science Stephen Meyer in 1996. His current research examines the impact of science and “scientism” on public policy and culture. His other areas of expertise include constitutional law, American government and institutions, and religion and politics.

Francis Collins’ Rhetoric About the Unvaccinated is Anything but Christian

Francis Collins is Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He also is the most well-known evangelical Christian in the federal science establishment. But his recent rhetoric is anything but Christian. [more…]

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