RFK Jr. terminates heads of preventive services task force amid overhaul
Source: CNN
RFK Jr. terminates heads of preventive services task force amid overhaul
Updated 1 hr 38 min ago
Updated May 20, 2026, 2:28 PM ET
PUBLISHED May 20, 2026, 2:27 PM ET
By Tami Luhby
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. quietly removed the two top leaders of a key preventive services panel last week as he seeks to overhaul its membership.
The US Preventive Services Task Force determines what preventive care – such as mammograms and colonoscopies – Americans can receive at no cost. But it has not met for more than a year, and half of the 16 seats are unfilled.
The unusual move comes as the administration is seeking new members for the task force, and its leaders would typically be involved in the vetting process. Their removal has raised concerns of political interference as Kennedy seeks to wield more influence over HHS’s panels of independent medical experts.
Drs. John Wong of Tufts Medical Center and Esa Davis of the University of Maryland School of Medicine received letters from Kennedy that said the action stemmed from a review of current appointments to task force. Wong and Davis served as chair and vice chair, respectively.
-snip-
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/20/health/rfk-jr-preventive-services-task-force