Tuesday, March 31, 2015

continues to improve with increased strength. Need to figure out way to get him back to Dallas where his parents live. He lives in Houston. Technically, since he is now PCR negative X2, he can fly commercial; however, the optics will be bad – people get hysterical if they find out he is an ex-Ebola patient. And so wrote to Paul Farmer to see if PIH will pay for a charter for him to fly from DC to Dallas. Cliff and I went down to State Department to meet with US Ambassador to Guinea – Alexander Mark Laskaris to get his help in smoothing the way for us to do the RCT for the Ebola vaccine in Guinea since Guinea is where the infections are and the Norwegians and WHO clearly do not want us to do the trial there (see above). Laskaris totally gets that WHO are the “bad” guys and have lost all credibilityand he will support us. Chris and I took out Denise and jack to Fiola Mare restaurant in Georgetown for jack’s 80th birthday. Below is final communication between Harold Varmus in his last official day as NCI Director and me. He has been a dear friend as NIH Director and over the past 5 years as NCI Director: From: Varmus, Harold (NIH/NCI) [E] Sent: Tuesday, March 31, 2015 3:51 PM To: Fauci, Anthony (NIH/NIAID) [E] Subject: Re: Nice article Tony, thanks. I had hoped to stop by your office for a farewell in person today, but events overtook that possibility. (I had meetings all morning and then other distractions up to train time. Besides, you were probably suited up on the Ebola ward!) I expect to see you in NYC very soon; this time I will cook for you (or take you to one of our neighborhood hot spots). Best to you and Chris. You got me through some crises of confidence and intention, even without realizing what you had done and I am now eager for my new life. HV