June 18, 1981
Dear Mr. President,
I respectfully request that on the first day of July you accept my resignation as Director of the National Institutes of Health.  It is for personal reasons that I take leave of this position, which I have been honored to hold these past six years.  Before then, I was also privleged to spend much of my scientific career at the National Institutes of Health.
I am most grateful for the continuing trust which you and Presidents Ford and Carter have extended in allowing me to lead this remarkable institution.
With my best wishes for your perseonal well-being, and the continued success of your Administration, I remain
Sincerely,
Donald S. Fredrickson, M.D.