During his marathon of congressional hearings at the end of last month, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signaled his intention to overhaul the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). The panel – which evaluates scientific evidence to make preventive care recommendations for physicians and insurance coverage – has been dormant for the last year. Kennedy’s latest remarks and a recent call for nominations indicate it may finally be getting new interest. However, the medical, public health, and research communities have deep concerns about how independent and effective the task force will be going forward.
[What is the USPSTF? See previous FABBS reporting.]
Kennedy left the task force inactive for over a year despite reports last summer suggesting he intended to fire all current USPSTF members (see previous FABBS reporting). The USPSTF typically meets three times a year, but Kennedy cancelled the July and November 2025 meetings as well as the one scheduled for March of this year. As a result, at least a dozen draft guidelines ready for final review – including one addressing cervical cancer screenings – have been left in limbo. Kennedy’s neglect of the panel is particularly ironic given that prevention is one of the key pillars of his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) platform.
In recent testimonies, Kennedy sharply criticized the USPSTF. At one House hearing, he claimed the panel has been “lackadaisical and negligent” for the past two decades and needs serious reform, calling out the lack of a recommendation to screen for Alzheimer’s disease. (It is worth noting that the USPSTF had previously determined the evidence supporting the benefits of early screening was limited, but had developed a research plan to revisit the issue. Of course, the task force has not had the opportunity to effect that plan.) Kennedy informed Members of Congress (MOCs) that the new USPSTF would hold more frequent meetings and be more transparent, but failed to provide any details about how he would achieve the latter.
On April 23, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) published a call for nominations to the USPSTF. (AHRQ provides support to the panel, although this has been significantly limited over the last year as that agency has faced its own substantial challenges; see previous FABBS reporting.) Kennedy has yet to share whether he plans to replace all of the USPSTF’s current members or just the five whose terms expired at the end of last year, including FABBS researcher John Ruiz, PhD, University of Arizona. Karina Davidson, PhD, former president of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research (ABMR), a FABBS member society, previously served as the task force’s chair.
Typically, the USPSTF consists of members with broad expertise in primary and preventive care as well as training in research analysis and evidence evaluation. The new call differs from past solicitations by requesting nominations for specialist physicians and experts – such as cardiologists, endocrinologists, radiologists, and health economists. If the task force includes too many specialists and too few generalists, however, it may limit the scope of the panel’s work.
This new activity heightens the concerns of the medical, public health, and scientific communities regarding the future of the USPSTF. Many health experts worry physicians may lose trust in the panel, especially if its independence and political neutrality are undermined. Just look at what happened to another HHS advisory panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): last year, Kennedy replaced all of its members with individuals who share his skepticism of vaccines.
On the Hill, Congressional Democrats have consistently opposed Kennedy’s meddling in the USPSTF’s affairs. In March, 19 senators, led by Angus King (I-ME), sent a letter to Kennedy criticizing him for the cancelled meetings and warning him to maintain an unbiased membership. On the Republican side, in April’s Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) – a former physician himself – pressed Kennedy on potential changes to the task force, emphasizing the need for USPSTF to function independently and make evidence-based decisions. Barrasso also highlighted the panel’s achievements, countering Kennedy’s earlier criticisms.
According to the call for nominations, new members should expect to begin their terms in July.
