US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has dismissed the two chairs of the US Preventive Services Task Force, the influential panel that sets guidelines for free preventive care such as mammograms and colonoscopies. In letters dated 11 May, Kennedy terminated the appointments of Drs John Wong and Esa Davis immediately, before the end of their multiyear terms.
The Department of Health and Human Services had already sidelined the taskforce, indefinitely postponing public meetings over the past year and leaving updates on cervical cancer screenings and other topics in limbo. The panel, established in the 1980s, reviews evidence on disease prevention tools like depression screenings and statins, assigning letter grades that determine insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Kennedy's letters did not explain the dismissals but praised the doctors' contributions and encouraged them to reapply. He stated he was reviewing appointments to ensure 'clarity, continuity and confidence' in oversight. An HHS spokesman did not respond to questions about the firings.
Last month, Kennedy told lawmakers he was reforming the taskforce, calling it 'lackadaisical', to increase meeting frequency and transparency. However, the panel already holds public meetings, opens draft guidelines for comment, and publishes scientific evidence. Health advocates feared Kennedy might replace experts with political appointees, as he did with a vaccine advisory committee.
Former taskforce chair Dr Michael Silverstein said the panel was not allowed to publish its final update on cervical cancer screening or address maternal depression recommendations. 'This is a level of government intrusion into scientific processes that I’ve not experienced in my 10 years on the taskforce,' he said.
Normally, health secretaries appoint new members through staggered terms, allowing gradual change without disruption, noted Aaron Carroll of AcademyHealth. The abrupt firings break from that tradition.
