Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Thursday that he will replace all 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), a federal panel responsible for determining which preventive medical services insurers must cover under the Affordable Care Act. Speaking before the House Ways and Means Committee, Kennedy accused the group of being ‘lackadaisical and negligent’ for the past 20 years, vowing to overhaul its composition and operations.
The USPSTF, which evaluates evidence for screenings, medications, and counseling recommendations, is currently working on draft guidelines for autism screening in young children, breast cancer risk assessment, and strategies to reduce food allergies through early allergen introduction. These areas align with Kennedy’s broader focus on children’s health, though his critics argue his approach risks politicizing medical science. The Department of Health and Human Services had previously canceled three of four scheduled meetings with the task force since President Trump took office in 2017.
Kennedy’s plan to replace the entire task force has drawn attention to past controversies. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report revealed he had threatened to remove all 16 members, calling them ‘too woke,’ a term critics say reflects his skepticism of public health policies aligned with mainstream scientific consensus. The Supreme Court recently affirmed his authority to appoint and dismiss task force members, enabling him to override their recommendations. However, federal judges have previously ruled against his appointments to the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, citing procedural irregularities.
Public health advocates caution that Kennedy’s overhaul could further entrench his ideological views, particularly given his history of challenging established medical guidelines. His 2020 attempt to reshape the vaccine advisory panel led to a federal court ruling that deemed his appointments invalid. Analysts fear similar tactics could undermine the credibility of the USPSTF, which has historically balanced scientific rigor with public health priorities. The task force’s new members will now face scrutiny over whether their expertise aligns with evidence-based medicine or political agendas.