What do you think?
Rate this book
Disease Knows No Politics
A memoir of medicine, scientific integrity, and the unwavering belief that disease knows no politics.
Disease Knows No Politics is a timely, inspiring memoir that champions the American Dream and defends the National Institutes of Health (NIH) while recounting the extraordinary immigrant journey of Dr. Elias former NIH director under President George W. Bush, presidential envoy under President Barack Obama, and treating physician for President Ronald Reagan.
Dr. Zerhouni, who was asked to consider directing President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed to create a COVID vaccine, has crafted a memoir and urgent manifesto emphasizing that “disease knows no politics.” He argues that science and public health must remain separate from partisan politics. As NIH director, he upheld this principle while navigating political storms, including the embryonic stem cell debate, ensuring the agency served all Americans, regardless of politics, race, religion, or gender.
Dr. Zerhouni spent much of his childhood amidst the Algerian war for Independence, and he later arrived in America in the 1970s from Algiers with his wife, Nadia, and just a few hundred dollars. He built his career as a radiologist and scientist through groundbreaking research and tireless patient care. From Johns Hopkins University to the NIH, Sanofi, and ModeX and OPKO Health, his life journey took him through the heights of academia, government, and industry. Dr. Zerhouni credits America and the tireless support of his wife, Nadia, for making his success possible. His memoir is a tribute to the country that shaped him and a call to protect scientific integrity from political interference.
Disease Knows No Politics is a timely, inspiring memoir that champions the American Dream and defends the National Institutes of Health (NIH) while recounting the extraordinary immigrant journey of Dr. Elias former NIH director under President George W. Bush, presidential envoy under President Barack Obama, and treating physician for President Ronald Reagan.
Dr. Zerhouni, who was asked to consider directing President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed to create a COVID vaccine, has crafted a memoir and urgent manifesto emphasizing that “disease knows no politics.” He argues that science and public health must remain separate from partisan politics. As NIH director, he upheld this principle while navigating political storms, including the embryonic stem cell debate, ensuring the agency served all Americans, regardless of politics, race, religion, or gender.
Dr. Zerhouni spent much of his childhood amidst the Algerian war for Independence, and he later arrived in America in the 1970s from Algiers with his wife, Nadia, and just a few hundred dollars. He built his career as a radiologist and scientist through groundbreaking research and tireless patient care. From Johns Hopkins University to the NIH, Sanofi, and ModeX and OPKO Health, his life journey took him through the heights of academia, government, and industry. Dr. Zerhouni credits America and the tireless support of his wife, Nadia, for making his success possible. His memoir is a tribute to the country that shaped him and a call to protect scientific integrity from political interference.
280 pages, Hardcover
Published July 15, 2025
3 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 22, 2025
Dr. Zerhouni is a great doctor and a very smart man. But he is not the most compelling author. There was not a coherent theme (other than “let me tell you my entire life story in great detail”) and it felt very much like a series of extended lectures that one might give at a college graduation. Lots of “you should do this” to the reader.
I liked learning about his life and his work but I would only recommend this book to folks with a very strong interest in memoir or public health.
I received this e-book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
I liked learning about his life and his work but I would only recommend this book to folks with a very strong interest in memoir or public health.
I received this e-book free from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
October 5, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Globe Pequot Press’s Prometheus imprint for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was interested in this book because of the attack of sciences and medicine in the United States (I mean, everything is under attack, but I digress). I was interested in Dr. Zerhouni’s personal story, as an immigrant from Algeria, and as a former NIH Director.
The doctor tells his story of growing up in Algiers and eventually immigrating to the United States. He found himself working with John Hopkins. It’s amazing how, throughout his career, he had his hands on some of the best science of our time. He worked alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, he worked for presidents.
Dr. Zerhouni comes across as a seriously compassionate and principled man, who has the brains of ten. The fact this immigrant was elevated to a role where he reported directly to presidents is part of the great American Dream, which is now lost.
In a day when crazy conspiracy theories are coming out of the top governmental agencies, this was a refreshing read.
I was interested in this book because of the attack of sciences and medicine in the United States (I mean, everything is under attack, but I digress). I was interested in Dr. Zerhouni’s personal story, as an immigrant from Algeria, and as a former NIH Director.
The doctor tells his story of growing up in Algiers and eventually immigrating to the United States. He found himself working with John Hopkins. It’s amazing how, throughout his career, he had his hands on some of the best science of our time. He worked alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, he worked for presidents.
Dr. Zerhouni comes across as a seriously compassionate and principled man, who has the brains of ten. The fact this immigrant was elevated to a role where he reported directly to presidents is part of the great American Dream, which is now lost.
In a day when crazy conspiracy theories are coming out of the top governmental agencies, this was a refreshing read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews